•       .  •  .  ~        .:,• 


.'..•••;.    -: 


' ; •;'.  i 


REVELATION 


ssiTctcsssn: 


s     ;/     ' 


B 
A.C.GAI'.r..; 


.,.        .         :i  . 


46644 


Presented  by 

The  Rev.  J.  L.  Watson 
St.  Louis,  Mo. 

"Friends  of  William  Jewell 
College  Library." 
Nov.  1927 


THE  REVELATION 

u^~ 


AN  ANALYSIS  AND  EXPOSITION  OF 
THE    LAST  BOOK    OF    THE    BIBLE 


BY 


ARNO  C.   GAEBELEIN 

Editor  of  "Our  Hope;"  Author  of  the  Annotated  Bible; 
Exposition  of  Matthew;  Joel;  Daniel;  Zechariah,  etc. 


PUBLICATION  OFFICE  "OUR  HOPE" 

456    FOURTH    AVENUE 

NEW  YORK  CITY 

PICKERING  &  INGLIS  H.  L.  THATCHER 

11  Bothwell  Circus  Auckland 

Glasgow,  Scotland  New  Zealand 


Copyright  by  A.  C.  Gaebelein,  1915. 


To  my  Beloved  Wife 

"Emma" 

In  appreciation  of  her  prayers  and  sacrifices, 
which  have  been  for  many  years  a  constant 
encouragement  and  cheer,  as  well  as  a  help, 
in  a  busy  life  of  service  for  God,  this  volume 
is  affectionately  dedicated. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE. 

The  Revelation 7 

Analysis  of  the  Book 22 

Exegetical   Annotations 28 

Appendix  I.    The  Seventy  Weeks  of  Daniel  177 
Appendix  II.     The  Symbolical  Names...  196 
Appendix  III.     Helpful  Books  on  Revela- 
tion and  Prophecy 207 


THE  REVELATION* 

"The  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  God  gave 
unto  Him — ."  This  is  the  first  sentence  with  which 
this  last  book  in  God's  Word  begins.  The  best  title 
therefore  is,  "The  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ."  Our 
Lord  received,  according  to  this  opening  statement,  a 
revelation  from  God.  This  must  be  understood  in 
connection  with  Himself  as  the  Son  of  Man.  As  the 
Only  Begotten  He  had  no  neecf  of  a  revelation;  in 
His  Deity  He  is  acquainted  with  all  the  eternal  purposes. 
One  with  God  He  knows  the  end  from  the  beginning. 
But  He,  who  is  very  God,  took  on  in  incarnation  the 
form  of  a  servant,  and  thus  being  in  fashion  as  a 
man,  He  humbled  Himself  (Phil.  ii:7-8).  And  as 
the  Man  who  had  passed  through  death,  whom  God 
raised  from  the  dead  and  exalted  at  His  own  right 
hand,  God  gave  Him  this  revelation  concerning  the 
judgment  of  the  earth  and  the  glory  of  Himself. 
"God  raised  Him  from  the  dead  and  gave  Him  glory" 
(1  Peter  i:21).  What  this  Glory  is  which  He  received 
from  God  is  fully  and  blessedly  revealed  in  this  book. 
It  is  the  revelation  of  His  acquired  Glory  and  how 
this  Glory  is  to  be  manifested  in  connection  with 
the  earth.  And  this  revelation  He  makes  known  to 
His  servants,  because  His  own  are  sharers  with  Him 
in  all  He  received  from  God. 


*Read  this  introduction  several  times  before  taking  up  the 
study  of  the  book. 


8  THE  REVELATION 

Pre-eminently  His  Revelation 

The  Revelation  is  pre-eminently  His  revelation; 
the  revelation  oFHis  person  and  His  Glory.  "In  the 
volume  of  the  Book  it  is  written  of  Me  .  .  . 
(Heb.  x:7).  Martin  Luther  asked,  "What  Book  and 
what  Person?"  and  answered,  "There  is  only  one 
Book — the  Bible;  and  only  one  Person — Jesus  Christ." 
The  whole  Book,  the  Word  of  God,  bears  witness  of 
Him,  Who  is  the  living  Word.  He  is  the  center,  the 
sum  total  and  the  substance  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
The  prayerful  reader  of  the  Bible  will  never  read 
in  vain  if  he  approaches  the  blessed  Book  with  the  one 
desire  to  know  Christ  and  His  Glory.  His  blessed 
face  is  seen  on  every  page  and  the  infallible  Guide, 
the  Holy  Spirit,  never  fails  to  satisfy  the  longing  of 
the  believer's  heart  to  know  more  of  Christ.  Inasmuch 
as  this  last  Bible  book  is  the  Revelation  of  Jesus 
Christ,  an  "Unveiling"  of  Himself,  we  find  in  it  the 
completest  revelation  of  His  Person  and  His  Glory. 

It  is  here  where  many  expositions  of  Revelation 
have  missed  the  mark.  Occupied  chiefly  with  the 
symbols  of  the  Book,  the  mysteries,  the  judgments 
and  the  promised  consummation,  they  have1  neglected 
to  emphasize  sufficiently  Him,  who  throughout  this 
Book  is  pre-eminently  the  center  of  everything.  The 
reader  of  Revelation  does  well  to  read  first  of  all 
through  the  entire  Book  with  this  object  in  mind,  to 
see  what  is  said  of  our  Lord,  of  His  Person,  His  present 
and  His  future  Glory."" 

We  shall  find  that  all  the  features  of  His  Person 
and  His  Work  are  mentioned.  He  is  the  Alpha  and 
Omega,  the  first  and  the  last  (i:ll);  the  Ancient 


THE  REVELATION  9   . 

of  Days  (i:14  compare  with  Daniel  vii:9);  the  "I 
Am,"  that  is,  Jehovah,  "I  am  He  that  liveth" 
(i:18);  the  Son  of  God  (ii:18).  These  terms  speak 
of  His  Deity.  His  earthly  life  in  humiliation  is  / 
touched  upon  in  the  statement,  "the  faithful  Witness" 
(i:5).  His  death  on  the  cross  is  likewise  mentioned — 
"He  hath  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  blood" 
(i:5);  "He  was  dead"  (i:18);  "the  Lamb  as  it  had  been 
slain"  (v:6);  "worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain" 
(v:12).  He  is  mentioned  twenty-eight  times  as  the 
Lamb  in  Revelation  and  each  time  it  reminds  us  of  •. 
the  cross  and  the  great  work  accomplished  there. 


His  resurrection  is  seen,  for  He  is  called,  "the  First   ^ 
begotten   from   the    dead"    (i:5),    and    He    speaks    of" 
Himself  as,  "He  that  was  dead,  and,  behold,  I  am 
alive  forevermore"  (i:18);  and  again,  "these  things  saith 
the  first  and  the  last,  who  was  dead  and  is  alive"  (ii:8). 

Then  we  behold  Him  "in  the  midst"  in  gloryj  seen  ^// 
face  to  face  by  all  the  redeemed  and  worshipped  by 
them,  as  well  as  by  the  heavenly  hosts  and  ultimately 
by  every  creature,  the  fulfillment  of  Phil.  ii:10-ll, 
"that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow, 
of  things  in  heaven,  and  things  on  earth  and  things 
under  the  earth,  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the 
Father"  (Rev.  v:8-14).  After  the  fifth  chapter  we 
have  His  revelation  as  the  executor  of  the  decreed  vA 
judgments.  He  opens  the  seals;  He  sends  forth 
the  seven  angels  with  the  judgment  trumpets  and  the 
seven  angels  with  the  judgment  vials,  in  which  the 
wrath  of  God  is  completed.  "The  Father  judgeth  no 
man,  but  has  committed  all  judgment  unto  the  Son" 


7 


7 


10  THE   REVELATION 

(John  v:22).  Then  He  is  seen  in  the  glorious  union 
with  the  Bride  (xix:7-10)  and  as  the  victorious  Christ 
who  passeth  out  of  heaven  followed  by  the  armies 
of  heaven  (xix:ll-21),  conquering  the  opposing  forces 
of  evil,  executing  the  wrath  of  Almighty  God,  appearing 
as  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords.  The  twentieth 
chapter  reveals  Him  as  the  reigning_Christ.  He 
and  His  Saints  with  Him  will  reign  over  the  earth 
lor  a  thousand  years.  And  all  which  loilows  reveais 
and  His  Glory  as  well  as  the  blessed  and  eternal 
results  of  His  work. 

A  Book  of  Prophecy 

Aside  from  the  title  of  the  Book,  which  indicates 
that  it  deals  with  things  future,  there  is  a  direct  state- 
ment which  determines  its  prophetic  character.  In 
the  first  beatitude  of  the  seven  which  are  found  in 
the  Book,  we  read  that  it  is  a  Book  of  Prophecy  — 
"Blessed  is  he  that  readeth,  and  they  that  hear  the 
words  of  this  Prophecy"  (i:3).  It  is  known  to  every 
intelligent  student  of  the  Bible  that  a  good  part  of  it 
is  Prophecy.  The  great  prophecies  concerning  the 
people  Israel  and  the  nations  of  the  world  are  found 
in  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures.  In  the  New  Testa- 
ment there  is  but  one  Book  of  Prophecy,  the  Revela- 
tion. As  it  is  the  capstone  of  the  entire  revelation 
of  God,  without  which  the  Bible  would  be  an  unfinished 
book,  we  find  in  its  pages  the  consummation  of  the 
great  Prophecies  which  were  given  by  the  Prophets 
of  God  in  Old  Testament  times. 

/     For  the   study  of  this  New  Testament  Prophetic 
(Book  the  knowledge  of  the  chief  content  of  the  Old 


THE  REVELATION  11 

Testament  Prophetic  Word  is  therefore  an  absolute 
necessity.  For  instance  to  a  Christian  who  does  not 
have  a  fair  grasp  of  Daniel's  great  Prophecies,  or  is  / 
ignorant  of  the  place  which  the  people  Israel  hold 
in  the  purposes  of  God,  the  Book  of  Revelation  is  a  ' 
sealed  book,  without  any  possible  meaning.  This  is 
one  of  the  chief  reasons  why  this  Book  has  suffered 
so  much  both  from  the  critics  and  from  the  hands 
of  commentators.  The  Apostle  Peter  saith,  "Knowing 
this  first,  that  no  prophecy  of  the  Scripture  is  of  any 
private  interpretation.  For  the  prophecy  came  not 
in  old  time  by  the  will  of  man,  but  holy  men  of  God 
spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit"  (2  Peter 
i:20-21).  The  better  translation  for  "private  inter- 
pretation" is,  "its  own  interpretation."  It  means 
that  the  interpretation  of  prophecy  must  be  done  by 
comparing  Scripture  with  Scripture.  The  holy  men 
of  God,  the  prophets,  were  the  instruments  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  and  made  known  God's  purposes  in  a 
progressive  way.  To  understand  any  prophecy  is 
only  possible  by  taking  the  entire  Prophetic  Word 
into  consideration.  That  there  is  a  wonderful  harmony 
in  the  great  body  of  prophetic  dispensational  truths 
as  found  in  the  Bible  we  have  demonstrated  in  another 
volume.*  This  principle  finds  its  strongest  appli- 
cation in  the  interpretation  of  the  Revelation. 

The  Three  Classes 

In  1  Corinthians  x:32  the  Apostle  Paul  speaks  of 
three  classes  into  which  the  human  race  is  divided: 

""'Harmony  of  the  Prophetic  Word" — a  volume  which  has 
been  used  under  God's  blessing  to  open  the  minds  of  many 
to  the  meaning  of  Prophecy. 


/ 


12  THE   REVELATION 

the  Jews,  the  Gentiles,  and  the  Church  of  God.  In 
the  Old  Testament  there  was  no  Church  of  God,  for 
the  Church  is  a  New  Testament  institution.  As 
the  Revelation  is  the  book  of  consummation  these 
three  classes  must  be  seen  in  the  contents  of  this 
Book.  Many  expositors  have  seen  nothing  but  the 
struggles  of  the  Church  in  her  history  in  this  Book. 
This  is  true  of  the  so-called  Preterist  school  and  also 
the  Historical  school  of  interpretation.  The  Pre- 
terist  schooTteaches  a  fulfillment  of  all  the  apocalyptic 
visions  in  the  struggles  of  the  Church  in  the  past. 
The  Historical  school  also  teaches  that  the  visions 

concern   mostly  the   Church.     These    schools    of  in- 

•"•ssfc**"" 
terpretation  leave  out  the  Jews  and  what  is  written 

concerning  them  and  their  final  history  during  the 
end  of  the  age,  preceeding  the  glorious  appearing  of 
our  Lord.  Of  late  another  school  of  interpreters  has 
come  into  existence.  They  teach  that  the  entire 
Book  of  Revelation  concerns  the  Jewish  people  and 
that  there  is  nothing  about  the  Church  in  this  last 
Book  of  the  Bible.  Any  interpretation  of  Revelation 
which  ignores  the  Jews,  the  people  Israel  and  the 
fulfillment  of  Old  Testament  predictions  concerning 
them  is  wrong.  And  any  interpretation  which  teaches 
that  there  is  nothing  about  the  Church  in  Revelation 
is  equally  wrong.  The  Church  and  her  destiny  on 
earth,  the  destiny  of  the  true  Church  and  the  destiny 
of  the  apostate  Church,  or  Christendom,  is  found  in 
the  Book.  The  Tews  and  what  concerns  them  in 
the  end  of  the  age,  the  Gentiles,  the  nations  of  the 
earth,  and  the  judgments  in  store  for  them,  as  well 
as  the  future  of  the  earth,  a  future  of  glory  and  blessing; 


THE  REVELATION  13 

all  this  is  found   in  our  New  Testament     Book  of 
Prophecy. 

The  True  Interpretation 

There  is  a  true  interpretation  of  Revelation  which 
is  in  harmony  with  all  previous  prophecies  and  which 
opens  the  Book  to  our  understanding.  But  how  are 
we  to  find  this  true  interpretation?  We  answer, 
the  Book  itself  furnishes  it.  This  is  an  important 
fact,  both  convincing  and  conclusive.  It  is  therefore 
of  no  profit  to  examine  the  different  theories  and 
schools  of  interpretation.  We  shall  avoid  the  terms 
Preterist,  Historical  and  Futurist,  and  not  try,  as  it 
has  been  attempted^  to  reconcile^ these  different  modes 
of  interpretation.  There  must  be  one  true  inter- 
pretation and  we  claim  that  this  is  given  to  us  by  the 
Lord  Himself  inthis  Book. 

The  Key  Which  Fits 

It  has  often  been  truthfully  said,  every  Book  in 
the  Bible  contains  a  key  which  unlocks  the  Book. 
The  Revelation  is  no  exception.  John  the  beloved 
disciple  was  in  banishment  in  the  isle  of  Patmos,  as 
Daniel  the  man  greatly  beloved,  was  a  captive  in 
Babylon.  The  Lord  called  these  two  great  servants 
to  behold  the  _panorama  of  the  future.  Both  wrote 
down  their  visions, ~"~ While  in  the  Book  of  Daniel  we 
find  no  direct  command  to  write,  we  find  such  a  com- 
mand in  the  first  chapter  of  Revelation.  John  received 
divine  instruction  how  to  write  the  Revelation.  We 
find  this  in  the  nineteenth  verse,  "Write  therefore 
what  thou  hast  seen,  and  the  things  that  are,  and  the 


14  THE  REVELATION 

things  that  are  about  to  be  after  these."*  John, 
guided  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  then  wrote  the  Revelation 
according  to  the  divine  direction.  In  examining 
this  command  to  write  we  find  that  three  things  are 
mentioned.  He  is  to  write  first  the  things  he  had 
jeen,  then  the  things  which  are,  and  finally  the  things 
that  are  about  to  be  afterthese.  When  John  received 
these  instructions  he  had  already  seen  something,  and 
the  vision  he  had  he  was  instructed  to  write  down. 
Then  present  things,  the  things  which  are,  and  future 
things,  to  be  after  present  things  have  passed  away, 
must  be  located  in  this  Book.  So  we  have  the  past, 
the  present  and  the  future  in  this  key  verse. 
Three  Divisions— Where  are  They? 
It  is  then  clear  that  the  Book  of  Revelation  must  be 
divided  into  three  main  divisions.  How  are  we  to 
locate  these  divisions?  They  are  marked,  so  that 
we  are  not  left  in  doubt  about  it.  In  the  beginning 
of  the  fourth  chapter  we  find  a  significant  statement 
which  shows  where  the  third  division  begins.  After 
these  things,  that  is  after  the  contents  of  the  opening 
three  chapters  were  past,  John  heard  the  same  voice 
speaking  to  him  once  more.  He  sees  a  door  opened 
in  heaven  and  is  told,  "Come  up  hither,  and  I  will 
shew  thee  the  things  which  must  take  place  after  these 
things"  (iv:l).  There  can  then  be  no  doubt  at  all 
that  with  the  fourth  chapter  the  seer  beheld  the 
things  which  take  place  after  the  preceeding  things, 
the-Jthings  which  are,  have  passed  away.  The  third 
division  of  Revelation  begins  with  the  fourth  chapter. 
John  beholds  future  things  from  heaven  into  which 

*Tkis  is  the  correct  translation  of  this  important  verse. 


THE  REVELATION  15 

he  had  been  taken  "in  the  Spirit."  The  things  he  had 
seen  and  the  things  which  are,  are  therefore  contained 
in  the  first  three  chapters  of  the  Book. 

The  first  chapter  contains  the  things  he  had  seen.  // 
"What  thou  seest  write  in  a  book"  was  the  first  in-' /» 
struction  John  received  (Verse  11).  In  the  nineteenth 
verse  he  is  told,  "Write  therefore  what  thou  hast 
seen."  Between  verse  11  and  verse  19_Jie  saw  a 
vision,  which  he  was  to  write,  and  this  vision  consti- 
tutes the  first  section  or  division  of  the  Book.  The 
second  and  third  chapters  form  the  second  division, 
the  things  which  are.  The  beginning  of  the  fourth 
chapter  to  the  end  of  the  Book  is  the  final,  the  third 
division.  There  is  no  better  and  more  logical  key. 
And  this  key  given  in  the  Book  determines  the  true 

interpretation. 

The  Patmos  Vision 

"The  things  thou  hast  seen" — the  first  section  of 
Revelation  is  the  great  Patmos  vision,  chapter  i:12-18. 
It  is  the  vision  of  the  glorified  Son  of  Man  in  the  midst 
of  the  seven  golden  candlesticks  (or  lampstands). 

The  Things  Which  Are 

The  things  which  are,  the  present  things,  begin  the 
prophetic  section  of  the  Revelation.  The  second  and 
-H  third  chapters  of  Revelation,  the  things  which  are, 
contain  the  messages  of  our  Lord  addressed  to  the 
seven  churches  of  Asia  Minor.  These  messages  contain, 
the  first  great  Prophecy  of  Revelation.  The  prophecy 
concerns  the  Church  on  earth.  We  shall  show  in  our 
comment  on  these  two  chapters  that  we  have  in  them 
a  divine  history  of  the  Church  on  earth.  It  is  one  of 


16  THE  REVELATION 

the  most  remarkable  sections  of  the  Prophetic  Word. 
What  this  present  age  is  to  be  religiously  and  how  it 
will  end  is  made  known  in  other  parts  of  the  New 
Testament.  Our  Lord  in  some  of  His  Kingdom  para- 
bles (Matthew  xiii)  reveals  the  characteristics  of  this 
age.  The  parables  of  the  sower,  the  evil  seed  sown 
into  the  field,  the  mustard  seed  parable  and  the  parable 
of  the  leaven  are  prophetic  and  teach,  in  part  at  least, 
what  the  church  messages  reveal.  The  Holy  Spirit  in 
the  Epistolar  testimony  also  reveals  the  religious  and 
moral  characteristics  of  the  age,  and  depicts  its  depart- 
ure from  the  truth,  and  its  end.  The  destiny  of  the 
true  Church  is  heavenly.  She  has  a  "blessed  hor>e." 
which  is  to  be  with  the  Lord  in  Glory.  She  is  called 
the  Body  of  Christ,  and  He  is  the  "Head  of  the  Body." 
The  Church  is  also  the  Bride  of  ChrisFand'He  is  the 
Bridegroom.  The  Body  will  "be  "united  to  the  Head 
in  Glory;  the  Bride  will  be  joined  to  the  Bridegroom. 
1  Thessalonians  iv:13-18  is  the  Scripture  which  reveals 
this  end  for  the  true  Church  on  earth.  The  professing 
Church,  Christendom,  which  rejects  the  doctrine  of 
Christ  and  goes  into  apostasy,  has  a  far  different 
destiny.  The  Lord  will  disown  that  which  hath 
denied  His  Name,  and  judgment  and  wrath  is  to  be 
poured  out  upon  apostate  Christendom  (2  Thess. 
i:7-9).  Now  all  these  previous  predictions  con- 
cerning the  Church  on  earth  are  consummated  in  the 
seven  Church  messages.  When  we  come  to  the  close 
of  the  third  chapter  we  find  a  significant  promise,  and 
equally  significant  threat.  "I  also  will  keep  thee  from 
the  hour  of  temptation  (trial)  which  shall  come  upon 
all  the  world,  to  try  them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth" 


17 


(iii:10).  This  is  the  promise.  It  tells  of  the  removal 
of  the  true  Church,  composed  of  all  true  believers, 
from  this  earthly  scene.  "I  will  spue  thee  out  of  my 
mouth"  (iii:6).  This  is  the  threat  to  the  apostate 
Church.  Both  the  promise  and  the  threat  will  be 
fulfilled.  After  the  third  chapter  the  word  church 
does  not  occur  again  in  Revelation.  The  reason  for 
this  is  obvious.  ^The  history  of  the  Church  on  earth 
terminates  with  the  close  of  the  third  chapter  Because 
the  true  Church  is  no  longer  here  but  has  been  taken 
up  into  Glory,  and  that  which  professes  to  be  the 
Church  is  disowned  by  the  Lord,  therefore  no  more 
mention  of  the  Church  is  made  in  Revelation. 

The  Things  That  Are  After  These 

The  future  things,  things  after  the  removal  of  the 
true  Church  from  the  earth,  occupy  the  greater  part 
of  this  Book.  It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  see 
that  nothing  whatever  after  the  third  chapter  of 
Revelation  has  yet  takfin-.jilace.  Some  speak  of  a 
past  and  partial  .fulfillment  of  some  of  the  visions 
found  in  this  section.  In  view  of  the  scope  of  the 
Book  this  is  impossible.  The  open  door  in  heaven,  the 
voice  which  calls  the  seer  to  pass  through  that  open 
door  into  heaven,  is  symbolical  of  the  great  coming 
event,  the  realization  of  the  blessed  Hope  of  the  com- 
ing of  the  Lord  for  His  Saints.  That  this  open  door  is 
mentioned  immediately  after  the  third  chapter  and 
John  is  suddenly  in  the  spirit  in  the  presence  of  the 
throne  in  heaven  is  very  significant.  It  proves  that 
the  entire  situation  is  now  changed.  And  the  first 
great  vision  is  a  vision  of  the  Saints  in  Glory,  occupying 


18  THE  REVELATION 

thrones  and  worshipping  God  and  the  Lamb.  With 
the  sixth  chapter  the  great  judgment  visions  of  this 
Book  begin.  These  great  punitive  dealings  with  the 
earth  are  executed  from  above.  All  transpires  after 
the  Lord  has  taken  His  Saints  into  Glory.  No  seal 
can  be  broken  as  long  as  this  event  has  not  been. 
But  after  the  Rapture,  the  Seals  of  the  Book,  which 
the  Lamb  received,  are  broken  by  Him,  the  trumpet 
and  the  vial  judgments  fall  upon  the  earth.  All 
this  takes  place  after  the  home-going  of  the  true  Church 
and  before  the  glorious  appearing  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  (xix:ll,  etc.). 

Now  this  portion  of  Revelation  from  chapter  vi 
to  xix  contains  the  events  which  transpire  during 
the  end  of  the  age.  It  is  the  unfulfilled  seventieth 
week  of  the  great  prophecy  in  the  Book  of  Daniel 
(Dan.  ix:24-27).  This  "end  of  the  age"  will  last 
twice  1260  days,  that  is  seven  years.  It  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  understand  the  scope  of  the  seventy- 
week  prophecy  in  Daniel  in  order  to  understand  the 
greater  part  of  these  chapters  in  the  Revelation.* 
We  are  led  back  upon  Jewish  ground.  Events  in 
.connection  with  the  Jewish  people  and  Jerusalem  are 
before  us.  The  times  of  the  Gentiles  have  taken 
on  their  final  form  of  ten  kingdoms  which  Daniel 
saw  on  the  fourth  beast  as  ten  horns,  and  Nebuchad- 
nezzar on  the  image  as  ten  toes.  The  empire  in  which 
these  ten  Kingdoms  come  into  existence  is  the  Roman 
empire.  It  will  have  a  revival  and  come  into 
existence  again.  Then  a  wicked  leader  will  take 

*"The  Prophet  Daniel"  by  A.  C.  G.  contains  a  very  simple 
exegesis  of  Daniel's  prophecies. 


THE   REVELATION  19 

the  headship  of  that  resurrected  Roman  empire, 
and  another  Beast,  the  false  prophet,  the  Anti- 
christ will  domineer  over  the  Jewish  people  and 
persecute  their  saints,  the  remnant  of  Israel,  while 
the  earth  and  the  dwellers  upon  the  earth  experience 
the  great  judgments.  The  last  half  of  these  seven 
years  is  called  the  great  tribulation.  WP  n^yst,al^o  A 
remember  that  our  Lord  1  eTt  behl n A ~a~ g"re a t  Prophecy 
concerning  the  end  of  the  age.  This  Prophecy  is 
contained  in  the  Olivet  Discourse,  the  first  part  of  which 
(Matt.  xxiv:4- 44)  harmonizes  in  a  striking  manner 
with  the  events  in  Revelation  vi-xix.  Our  Lord 
calls  special  attention  to  Daniel  and  likewise  speaks 
of  the  great  tribulation.  In  our  brief  exposition  we 
shall  point  out  some  of  the  interesting  and  convincing 
details. 

The  glorious  climax  is  the  visible  m^nifpc^tlrvn  of 
the  Lord  out  of  heaven,  crowned  with  many  crowns,* 
the  dpffla^  and  nvprfhrnw  of  the  Beast  and  the  kings 
of  the  earth  and  their  armies,  the  hiading  of  Satan, 
and  the  I£i£a  of  Christ  with  His  Saints  for  a  thousand 
years.  After  that  follows  the  great  whitp  thrnnp  judg- 
ment, which  is  the  judgment  of  the  wicked  dead, 
the  glorjes  of  the  new  Jerusalem,  the  eternal  4c£iiny 
of  the  redeemed  and  the  eternal  destiny  of  the  lost. ' 

If  this  great  last  Book  of  the  Bible  is  studied  in 
this  divinely  given  order  it  will  no  longer  be,  as  is  so 
often  said,  a  sealed  book.  All  fanciful  interpretations 
and  applications  of  these  great  visions  to  past  or 
present  history  can  no  longer  be  maintained  as  soon 

*Compare  Revelation  xix:ll-21  with  Daniel  vii:ll-14  and 
Matthew  xxiv:27-31. 


20  THE  REVELATION 

as  we  reckon  with  the  fact  that  these  visions  are  not 
yet  fulfilled,  and  are  going  to  be  fulfilled  after  the 
true  Church  is  no  longer  on  the  earth. 

The  Promised  Blessing 

"Blessed  is  he  that  readeth,  and  they  that_hear 
the  words  of  this  Prophecy,  and^jceep  those  things 
which  are  written  therein,  for  the  time  is  at  hand" 
(verse  3).  A  blessing  is  promised  to  him  who  _readeth, 
and  who  Jiears  and  keeps.  It  does  not  say  that  a 
blessing  is  for  him  who  understands  and  knows  every- 
thing which  is  in  this  Book.  If  such  were  the  con- 
dition the  writer  and  the  reader  would  have  no  claim 
on  this  promised  blessing.  The  Bible-teacher,  or  any 
other  man,  who  says  he  knows  and  understands  every- 
thing found  in  this  great  finale  of  God's  Word  is  very 
much  mistaken.  We  cannot  be  sure  about  every- 
thing in  some  of  these  visions  and  the  full  meaning 
of  some  may  not  be  understood  till  the  world  sees 
the  fulfillment.  The  blessing  is  promised  to  all  His 
people  who  give  attention  to  the  Revelation  of  Jesus 
Christ.  What  is  the  blessing  we  may  expect  through 
the  reading  and  prayerful  study  of  the  words  of  this 
Prophecy  ? 

I  First  of  all  we  receive  through  this  Book  a  wonderful 
vision  of  our  Saviour  and  Lord.  This  is  what  we 
need  as  His  people  above  everything  else,  and  it  is 
this  which  brings  blessing  into  our  lives.  As  stated 
before,  this  Book  is  pre-eminently  His  revelation,  a 
blessed  unveiling  of  His  Person  and  Glory.  But 
~j  we  also  get  another  blessing.  In  reading  through 
this  Book  we  see  what  is  in  store  for  this  age,  what 


THE  REVELATION  21 

judgments  will  overtake  the  world,  and  how  Satan's 
power  will  be  manifested  to  the  full  upon  those  who 
rejected  His  grace.  Judgment,  tribulation  and  wrath 
are  swiftly  coming  upon  this  age.  Out  of  all  this  our 
gracious  Lord  has  ^delivered  us.  There  is  no  judg- 
ment, no  wrath  for  us  who  know  Him  as  our  sin-bearer 
and  our  hiding-place.  Praise  must  fill  our  hearts 
when  we  read  the  words  of  this  Prophecy  and  remem- 
ber the  grace  which  has  saved  us  from  all  which  is 
coming  upon  this  age.  Another  blessing  is  the  assur- 
ance of  ultimate  victory  and  glory.  HaTk  is  the  age,  ' / 
and  becoming  darker,  but  in  Revelation  we  behold 
the  glory  which  is  coming  for  His  Saints  first  of  all 
and  after  the  judgment  clouds  are  gone,  for  Jerusalem, 
the  nations  and  the  earth.  Reading  Revelation  fills 
the  heart  with  the  assurance  and  certainty  of  the 
outcome  of  all.  It  is  a  solemn  atmosphere  which  fills 
the  whole  Book  of  Revelation.  As  we  continue  to 
read  and  continue  to  breathe  this  heavenly  and  solemn 
atmosphere  it  will  result  in  a  closer  walk  with  God, 
a  more  spiritual  worship  and  a  greater  and  more 
unselfish  service  for  Him  "Who  loveth  us  and  hath 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood,  and  hath 
made  us  priests  and  kings  unto  God  His  Father." 


22  THE  REVELATION 


THE  ANALYSIS  OF  THE 
REVELATION 

Title:     The  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ. 

I.  THE  PATHOS  VISION  OF  THE  GLORIFIED  SON  OF 

MAN.     CHAPTER  I. 

1.  The   Book,   its  title  and  introduction.     Verses   1-3. 

2.  Greeting  and  Benediction.     Verses  4-5. 

3.  The  Outburst  of  Praise.     Verses  6-7. 

4.  The  Testimony  of  the  Almighty.     Verse   8. 

5.  John  in  Patmos.     Verses  9-11. 

6.  The  Great  Vision  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  Glory.    Verses 

12-16. 

7.  The  Effect  and  the  Commission.     Verses   17-21. 

II.  THE  THINGS  WHICH  ARE.    THE  SEVEN  CHURCH- 

MESSAGES  REVEALING  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE 
CHURCH  ON  EARTH.     CHAPTERS  II-IH. 

CHAPTER  II. 

1.  Ephesus,  the  Post-Apostolic  Period.     Verses  1-7. 

2.  Smyrna,  the  Period  of  Persecution.     Verses  8-11. 

3.  Pergamos,  the  Period  of  Corruption.     Verses  12-17. 

4.  Thyatira,  the  Romish  Corruption.     Verses  18-29. 

CHAPTER  HI. 

5.  Sardis,  the  Reformation  Period.     Verses  1-6. 

6.  Philadelphia,  the  Faithful  Remnant.     Verses  7-13. 

7.  Laodicea,    the    Indifferent    and    Apostate    Church. 

Verses  14-22. 


THE   REVELATION  23 

III.  THE    THINGS    WHICH    ARE    AFTER    THESE.    THE 

END  OF  THE  AGE,  THE  CONSUMMATION  AND 

THE  FINAL  MESSAGES.     CHAPTERS  IV-XXII. 

First   Division:     The    Heavenly   Scene.     Before    the    Throne. 

Chapters  IV-V. 
CHAPTER  IV. 

1.  The    Open    Door    and    the    Vision    of  the  Throne. 

Verses  1-3. 

2.  The  Twenty-four  Elders.     Verse  4. 

3.  The  Description  of  the  Throne.     Verse  5. 

4.  The  Four  Living  Creatures  and  the  great  Praise  and 

Worship.     Verses  6-11. 
CHAPTER  V. 

1.  Who  is  Worthy  to  open  the  Book?     Verses  1-3. 

2.  The  Answer.     Verse  4-5. 

3.  The  Vision  of  the  Lamb.     Verses  6-7. 

4.  The  Worship  of  the  Living  Creatures  and  the  Elders. 

Verses  8-10. 

5.  The    Worthiness    of    the    Lamb    Acclaimed    by    all 

Beings.     Verses  11-14. 

Second  Division:     The  Opening  of  the  Seven  Seals.  Chapters 

VI-Vin:5. 
CHAPTER  VI. 

1.  The  First  Seal;  the  White  Horse;  the  Conquering 

Rider.     Verses  1-2. 

2.  The  Second  Seal.     The  Red  Horse;  the  Rider  with 

the  great  Sword.     Verses  3-4. 

3.  The  Third  Seal.     The  Black  Horse;  the  Rider  with 

the  Balance.     Verses  5-6. 

4.  The  Fourth  Seal.     The  Pale  Horse;  the  Rider  Fol- 

lowed by  Hades.     Verses  7-8. 

5.  The  Fifth  Seal.     The  Cry  of  the  Souls  Under  the 

Altar.     Verses  9-11. 

6.  The  Sixth  Seal.     The  Shaking  of  all  Things.     The 

Anticipation  of  the  End.     Verses  12-17. 

Between  the  Sixth  and  Seventh  Seal.    A  Parenthetical  Vision. 
(Chapter  VII). 


24  THE  REVELATION 

CHAPTER  VII. 

1.  The     Remnant     of     Israel     Called     and     Sealed. 

Verses  1-8. 

2.  The  Saved  Multitude  of  Gentiles  Coming  out  of  the 

Great  Tribulation.     Verses  9-17. 
End  of  the  Parenthesis. 

3.  The  Seventh  Seal.     Verses  1-5. 

CHAPTER  Vm:l-S. 

Third  Division :   The  Sounding  of  the  Seven  Trumpets.   Chapters 

VIH:6-XI:18. 
CHAPTER  Vni:6-13. 

1.  The  First  Trumpet.     Verses  6-7. 

2.  The  Second  Trumpet.     Verses  8-9. 

3.  The   Third    Trumpet.     Verses    10-11. 

4.  The  Fourth  Trumpet.     Verses   12-13. 
CHAPTER  IX. 

5.  The  Fifth  Trumpet.     The  First  Woe.     Verses  1-12. 

6.  The    Sixth    Trumpet.     The    Second    Woe.     Verses 

13-21. 

Between    the    Sixth    and    Seventh    Trumpets.    Parenthetical 

Visions.     (Chapters  X-XI:14.) 
CHAPTER  X. 

1.  The  Descending  Angel.     Verses  1-7. 

2.  The  Little  Book.     Verses  8-11. 
CHAPTER  XI. 

3.  The  Temple,  Altar  and  Jewish  Worshippers.     Verses 

1-2. 

4.  The  Two  Witnesses.     Verses  3-6. 

5.  The  Beast  and  the  Witnesses.     Verse  7. 

6.  The  Treatment  of  the  Slain  Witnesses.     Verses  8-10. 

7.  Their  Public  Vindication.     Verses  11-12. 

8.  The  Great  Earthquake.     Verses  13-14. 

End  of  the  Parenthesis. 

9.  The   Seventh   Trumpet.     Verses    15-18. 

Fourth  Division:     Satan's  Power  and   Satan's   Masterpieces. 
Chapters  XI  :19-Xm. 


THE   REVELATION  25 

CHAPTER  XI:19. 

1.  The  Vision  of  the  Opened  Temple.     Verse  19. 

CHAPTER  XH. 

2.  The  Great  Sign.     Verses  1-5. 

3.  The  Escape  of  the  Woman.     Verse  6. 

4.  War   in   Heaven,    and   Satan   cast  out  of   Heaven. 

Verses  7-12. 

5.  The  Dragon  Persecuting  the  Woman.     Verses  13-17. 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

6.  The  Beast  out  of  the  Sea.     Verses  1-10.  / ^  ,          \ 

7.  The  Beast  out  of  the  Earth.     Versss  11-18. 

Fifth  Division:    The  Power  of  God  in  Intervention.     Grace  and 

Judgment     Manifested.     Chapter     XTV. 
CHAPTER   XIV. 

1.  The  Lamb  upon  Zion  and  the  144,000.     Verses  1-5. 

2.  The     Proclamation     of     the     Everlasting     Gospel. 

Verses  6-7. 

3.  Babylon  has  Fallen!     Verse  8. 

4.  The  Eternal  Wrath  for  the  Worshippers  of  the  Beast. 

Verses  9-1 1. 

5.  The   Blessed   Dead   who   Die  in   the   Lord.     Verses 

12-13. 

6.  The  Harvest  and  the  Vintage.     Verses   14-20. 
Sixth  Division:    The  Seven  Angels  having  Seven  Plagues;  the 

Vials  of  Wrath.    Chapters  XV-XVI. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

1.  The  Seven  Angels  with  the  Seven  Plagues.     Verse  1. 

2.  Another  Scene  of  Worship.     Verses  2-4. 

3.  The  Seven  Angels  Proceeding  out  of  the  Temple. 

Verses  5-8. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

4.  The  First  Vial.     Verses  1-2. 

5.  The  Second  Vial.     Verse  3. 

6.  The  Third  Vial.     Verses  4-7. 

7.  The  Fourth  Vial.     Verses  8-9. 

8.  The  Fifth  Vial.     Verses  10-11. 

9.  The  Sixth  Vial.     Verse  12. 


26  THE  REVELATION 

Between   the   Sixth   and   Seventh   Vial,   Parenthetical   Vision. 

Verses  13-16. 

10.    The  Seventh  Vial.     Verses  17-21. 

N/    Seventh  Division:    The  Great  Harlot,  Babylon,  and  her  Judg- 
ment.    Chapters  XVH-XVIII. 
CHAPTER  XVII. 

1.  The  Description  of  the  Woman. 

2.  The  Interpretation  by  the  Angel.     Verses  7-15. 

3.  The  Destruction  of  the  Harlot.     Verses  16-18. 
CHAPTER  XVIH. 

4.  The  Angelic  Announcement.     Verses   1-3. 

5.  The  Call  to  Separate.     Verses  4-5. 

6.  Her  Pride  and  Righteous  Destruction.     Verses  6-8. 

7.  The  Universal  Lamentation  over  Her.     Verses  9-19. 

8.  The  Rejoicing  Heavens.     Verses  20. 

9.  Her    Utter    and    Everlasting    Destruction.     Verses 

21-23. 

10.    The  Blood  of  the  Saints  found  in  Her.     Verse  24. 
Eighth  Division:     The  Manifestation  of  the  King  and  the  Mil- 
lennium.    Chapters  XIX-XX:6. 
CHAPTER  XIX. 

1.  The  Four  Hallelujah's  in  Heaven.     The  Marriage  of 

the  Lamb.     Verses  1-10. 

2.  Heaven  Opened.     The  Coming  of  the  King.     Verses 

11-16. 

3.  The   Battle  of  Armageddon   and   the   Execution  of 

Wrath.     Verses  17-21. 
CHAPTER  XX:l-6. 

4.  The  Binding  of  Satan.     Verses  1-4. 

5.  The  Reign  of  Christ  and  His  Saints  for  a  Thousand    /* 

Years.     Verses  5-6.  ^/ 

Ninth  Division:    After  the  Thousand  Years.     The  Vision  of  the 

New  Jerusalem.    Chapters  XX  :7-XXII:5. 
CHAPTER  XX:9-15. 

1.  Satan  Loosed.     The  Last  Revolt.     Verses  7-9. 

2.  Satan's  Eternal  Doom.     Verse  10. 

3.  The  Great  White  Throne  Judgment.     Verses  11-15. 


THE   REVELATION  27 

CHAPTER   XXI. 

4.  The  Eternal  State.     Verses   l-S. 

5.  The  Vision  of  the  Holy  City  of  Jerusalem.     Verses 

9-27. 
CHAPTER  XXII:l-5. 

6.  The  River  and  the  Tree  of  Life.     Verses  1-2. 

7.  The  Seven  Glories  of  the  Redeemed.     Verses  3—5. 
Tenth   Division:    The   Final   Messages.     Chapter   XXII:6-21. 
CHAPTER  XXH:6-21. 

1.  The  Angel's  Message.     Verses  6-11. 

2.  The  Message  of  the  Lord.     Verses   12-13. 

3.  The  Two  Classes.     Verses  14-15. 

4.  The  Final  Testimony  of  Christ  Concerning  Himself. 

Verse  16. 

5.  The  Answer  of  the  Spirit  and  the  Bride.     Verse  17. 

6.  The  Final  Warning.     Verses  18-19. 

7.  The   Final   Message;    the   Final   Prayer;   the   Final 

Benediction.     Verses  20-21. 


28  THE  REVELATION 

EXEQETICAL  ANNOTATIONS 

1.  The  Patmos  Vision  of  the  Glorified  Son  of  Man. 

Chapter  I 

/.  The  Book:  Its  Title  and  Introduction.  Verses 
1-3.  As  we  have  already  spoken  of  the  title  and  the 
prophetic  character  of  the  book,  we  do  not  repeat 
it  here.  The  book  does  not  contain,  as  it  is  often  said 
"revelations"  but  one  great  revelation  and  that  the 
Revelation  of^  Jesus  Christ.  And  this  revelation  is 
"to  show  unto  His  servants  things  which  must  shortly 
come  to  pass,"  so  that  they  may  know  the  future 
and  serve  Him  with  the  Glory-light  thrown  upon 
their  path.  The  vision  of  the  future  is  much  needed 
as  an  incentive  for  true  and  devoted  service. 

2.  Greeting    and    Benediction.       Verses  4-5.       The 
churches  which  John  addressed  were  in  the  Province 
of  Asia,  not  the  continent  Asia,  but  one  of  the  pro- 

-  vinces  of  Asia  minor.  (See  Acts  xvi:6;  xix:10,  etc.). 
[These  seven  churches  are  representative  of  the  entire 
Ichurch,  and  prophetically  unfold  the  history  of  the 
church  on  earth.  "Grace  unto  you  and  Peace"  is 
the  greeting.  Grace  and  peace  are  the  blessed  posses- 
sions of  the  true  children  of  God.  Though  the  pro- 
fessing church  may  fail  in  her  testimony,  and  the 
dark  days  of  apostasy  increase,  grace  and  peace  for 
God's  servants  and  children  will  never  fail.  The 
greeting  differs  from  those  found  in  the  Epistles. 
In  the  Epistles  the  greetings  come  from  the  Father 
and  the  Son;  the  Holy  Spirit  being  omitted.  Here 


7 


REVELATION  29 


Jehovah  is  mentioned  first,  "who  is,  who  was  and  who 
is  to  come" — J*the  I  Am  that  I  am" — the  Self-existing 
One  (Ex.  iii:lj4).  Then  comes  the  Holy  Spirit,  spoken 
of  here  as  *vthe  seven  Spirits."  Not  as  the  "one 
Spirit"  (Eph.  iv:4;  1  Cor.  xii:13)  is  He  mentioned, 
but  in  His  own  complete  fullness  and  His  diverse  activi- 
ties (Isaiah  xi:2).  And  finally  the  name  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  "He  is  the  faithful  witness;"  this 
describes  His  holy  and  perfect  life  on  earth.  "The 
first  begotten  from  the  dead."  He  died  that  shameful 
death  on  the  cross  and  finished  the  Work  the  Father 
gave  Him  to  do.  Risen  from  the  dead  He  is  the  first 
begotten  as  well  as  the  first  fruits.  "The  Prince 
of  the  kings  of  the  earth."  This  is  His  future  title 
and  reveals  His  coming  Glory.  What  comfort  there 
is  here  for  God's  people!  Oh,  the  grace  and  peace 
which  flow  from  a  believing  contemplation  of  Him- 
sell  and  the  knowledge  that  we  are  one  with  Him! 

3,  The  Outburst  of  Praise.     Verses  6-7.    The  last 
sentence  of  verse  5  belongs  to  verse  6.     This  inspired 
outburst  of  Praise  is  the  true  .Glory  song  of  the  true 
Church.     It  contains  the  blessed  fundamentals  of  the 
Gospel  of  Grace  what  He  has  done  for  us  and  what  He 
has  made  us  and  what  we  shall  be  with  Him.    It  is  the 
first  dpxology  in  this  book.     Others  follow  and  increase 
in    adoration.     Twofold    here;      threefold,    in    iv:ll; 
fourfold   in   v:13;    sevenfold   in  vii:12.     The   tribute 
is   followed   by   a   testimony   of  His   Coming.     It   is 
not  His  coming  for  His  Saints  but  His  coming  to  the 
earth.     Compare   with   Acts   i:ll;    Matthew   xxiv:30; 
Daniel  vii:13;    Zech.  xii:9-14. 

4.  The  Testimony  of  the  Almighty.     Verse  8.     God, 


30  THE  REVELATION 

so  to  speak,  puts  His  seal  to  it  all.  The  words  of  the 
preceding  verse  "Even  so  Amen"  must  be  read  with 
this  verse.  The  speaker  is  Jehovah. 

5.  John    in    Patmos.     Verses    9-11.     John    was    in 
banishment  in  the  isle  of  Patmos  and  "became  in  the 
Spirit   on   the   Lord's    day."     Does   this    mean   "the 
Day  of  the  Lord"  i.  e.  the  day  on  which  He  comes  in 
power  and  glory  to  begin  His  reign,  or  does  it  mean 
the  blessed  memorial  day,  the  first  day  of  the  week? 
It  means  without  doubt  the  JUlleT. 

6.  The  Great   Vision  of  the  Glorified  Son  of   Man. 
Verses   12-16.     John    turned    to    see    the    voice.     He 
beheld  the  greatest  vision  human  eyes  have  seen.     The 

_  seven  golden  candlesticks  (lamp-stands)  represent 
the  seven  churches  (verse  20)  and  are  symbolical  of 
the  entire  church.  He  Himself  is  "in  the  midst"  and 
seen  by  John  "like  unto  a  Son  of  Man."  But  the 
vision  makes  it  clear  that  He  is  more  than  a  Son  of 
Man,  for  He  is  the  ^Ancient  of  Days  as  well.  The 
title  Son  of  Man  belongs  to  Him  both  in  His  humiliation 
and  exaltation.  He  was  the  Son  of  Man  on  earth; 
He  is  tneSon  of  Man  in  Glory;  and  when  He  comes 
back  to  earth  and  receives  the  kingdom,  it  will  be  as 
Son  of  Man.  Judgment  will  be  executed  by  Him. 
In  this  vision  His  judicial  character  is  the  leading 
feature.  He  is  clothed  with  a  robe  down  to  His  feet. 
While  this  denotes  priestly  dignity  we  see  Him  not 
engaged  in  priestly  activity.  The  long-robed  figure 
expresses  the  great  dignity  of  Himself  as  the  Priest- 
King  who  is  about  to  enter  upon  His  work  as  Judge. 
The  golden  girdle  is  symbolical  of  divine  righteousness; 
His  white  head  and  hair  identify  Him  with  the  Ancient 


THE  REVELATION  31 

of  Days  who  sits  in  judgment  (Daniel  vii:9-12).  The 
flaming  eyes,  all  searching;  the  fiery  burning  feet; 
the  voice  like  the  sound  of  many  waters  (Psalm  xxix); 
the  two-edged  sword;  the  face  which  was  once  marred 
and  dishonored,  now  shining  like  the  sun — all  is 
symbolical  and  speaks  of  the  great  dignity  and  glory 
and  the  judicial  rights  of  the  Son  of  Man.  His  judg- 
ment in  this  book  begins  with  the  house  of  God,  that 
which  professes  His  Name;  judgment  is  executed 
by  Him  on  the  earth  and  all  culminates  in  His  visible 
and  glorious  appearing,  when  all  things  will  be  put 
in  subjection  under  His  feet. 

There  is  one  feature  of  the  vision  which  needs  an 
explanation.  What  do  the  seven  stars  mean,  which 
are  in  the  right  hand  of  the  Son  of  Man?  Verse  20 
gives  the  answer.  They  are  the  seven  angels  of  the 
hps  Angels  and  stars  are  symbolical 


figures.  The  application  of  these  terms  to  church- 
officers  or  bishops  and  pastors  is  incorrect.  Stars  are 
used  in  Scripture  to  typify  true  believers.^  Stars  are 
heavenly  bodies  which  shine  during  the  nigntT^o  are 
true  believers  in  a  heavenly  position  with  the  respon- 
sibility  to  shine  in  the  night.  The  lamp-stands  repre- 
sent the  visible,  professing  church;  the  stars  represent 
the  true  believing  element  in  the  Church.  They  are 
in  the  right  hand  of  Himself,  held  securely  there.  Fur- 
thermore, only  true  believers  have  an  ear  to  hear 
what  the  Spirit  saith.  The  stars  are  called  angels, 
because  an  angel  is  both  a  messenger  and  a  represen- 
tative  and  true  believers  are~Iikewise  that? 

7.    The    Effect   of  the    Vision   and   the   Commission. 
Verses   17-20.     John   fell   at   His   feet   as   dead;    the 


32  THE  REVELATION 

vision  was  overpowering.  Compare  with  Daniel  x:4-ll. 
But  He  put  His  hand  upon  Him.  Blessed  is  His  own 
testimony.  He  is  the  Living  One,  which  means 
"Jehovah."  He  was  dead.  And  alive  forevermore; 
He  is  risen  from  the  dead  and  hath  the  keys  of  Death 
and  of  Hades.  Then  follows  the  command  to  write 
which  we  have  fully  explained  in  the  introduction. 


THE  REVELATION  33 

II.  The  Things  which  are.  The  seven 

Church  Messages  revealing  the 

History  of  the  Church  on  Earth 

Chapters  II  and  HI 

These  two  chapters  are  extremely  rich  in  prophetic 
and  spiritual  truths.  "The  things  which  are,"  the 
second  division  of  this  book,  is  now  before  us.  The 
churches  mentioned  in  the  two  chapters,  and  never 
after,  actually  existed.  They  can  easily  be  located 
geographically  and  traced  historically.  We  do  not 
attempt  this  as  it  has  no  spiritual  value.  These 
messages  of  course  had  a  deep  and  significant  meaning 
for  the  different  local  assemblies.  That  there  are 
many  spiritual  lessons  written  in  these  messages,  is 
also  true.  However,  all  this  must  take  a  secondary 
place.  The  primary  thing  is  the  prophetic  interpre- 
tation. The  seven  churches  repjresent  the  entire 
on  earthras  already  stated,  and  the  con- 


ditions of  these  seven  churches  foreshadow  the  different 
periods  of  the  Church^  on  earth  from   the  Apostolic 
times  to  the  ending  days,  when    the  Lord  calls    His 
Saints  to  meet  Him   in  the  air.     There  were   many 
hundreds    of   churches    in    existence    throughout    the 
countries  where  the  Gospel  had  been  preached.     But 
messages  from  the  Glorified  Son  of  Man  were  -not  sent     . 
to  all  of  them.     Only  seven,  and  these  closely  con-     7 
nected  in  the  province  of  Asia,  were  selected  by  the  / 
Lord.     The  Son  of  Man  is  the  omniscient  Lord  and 
as  such  He  knows  the  end  from  the  beginning.     He 
knew  the  entire  history  of  the  Church  from  the  begin- 


34  THE  REVELATION 

ning.  He  knew  the  coming  persecutions,  declensions, 
revivals,  the  perversions  of  His  truth,  the  denials  of 
His  Name,  the  depths  of  Satan  and  the  final  apostasy. 
In  the  days  of  His  humiliation  that  future  was  not 
hidden  from  him,  for  in  the  Kingdom  parables  He 
revealed  the  religious  conditions  of  this  Christian 
age  (Matthew  xiii).  With  the  divine  knowledge, 
what  this  age  would  bring  forth  and  how  it  would 
end,  He  looked  with  His  all-searching  eyes  into  the 
conditions  of  the  different  churches.  He  saw  in  seven 
of  them  conditions  which  were  in  embryo,  the  con- 
ditions through  which  the  whole  church  on  earth  would 
pass,  so  that  we  have  in  these  seven  messages,  which 
uncover  the  state  of  the  different  churches,  the  moral 
and  religious  history  of  Christendom.  Our  hints  on 
all  this  must  be  necessarily  brief,  but  enough  will  be 
given  to  prove  the  assertion.  Hundreds  of  pages 
have  been  written  on  these  two  chapters  tracing  in 
them  the  history  of  the  Church. 

— 1.  Ephesus,  the  Apostolic  and  Post-apostolic  Period. 
f\  Verses  1-7 .     Ephesus  means  "desired;"  the  Church  is 
the  object  of  His  love,   so  beautifully  stated   in  the 
y  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians.     He  loved  the  Church  and 

gave  Himself  for  it;  He  cleanseth  and  sanctifieth  it 
and  He  will  present  it  to  Himself  a  glorious  Church 
__  j  (Ephes.  v:25-27).  To  that  Church  was  communicated 
the  highest  revelation,  especially  the  truth  concerning 
the  Church,  the  bod_y  and  glory  of  Christ.  Ephesus 


stands  therefore  lor  the  first  period  of  the  Church  on 
^  earth.  The  Lord  bears  witness  to  its  faithfulness. 
/  rSFor  His  Name's  sake  they  labored  and  fainted  not. 

What  is  especially  a  mark  of  the  Apostolic  and  post- 


-  /  _   ^  0  0 

3r  3  A  A-  3  /  O 


THE  REVELATION 

Apostolic  times  is  the  statement  "thou  hast  tried  them 
(tested  them)  which  say  they  are  apostles  and  hast 
found  them  liars."  Compare  this  with  2  Cor.  xi:13 
"for  such  are  false  apostles,  deceitful  (lying)  workers." 
Men  arose  who  pretended  to  be  apostles  even  while 
the  apostles  were  still  living  and  more  so  after  their 
departure.  But  the  early  church  did  not  tolerate  these 
false  apostles  who  appeared  in  large  numbers  during 
the  second  half  of  the  first  century.  The  deeds  of  the 
Nicolaitanes  they  also  hated.  What  the  Nicolaitanes 
were  we  shall  find  later.  But  the  Lord  touches  the 
sore  spot,  the  beginning  of  evil  in  the  words  "I  have 
against  thee  because  thou  hast  left  thy  first  love." 
What  is  the  first  love?  The  Apostle  Paul  in  his  heart 
devotion  to  the  Person  of  Christ,  with  His  burning 
desire  to  know  Christ  and  to  win  Christ,  with  His 
wonderful  confession  "Christ  is  all  in  all" — "not  I, 
but  Christ,"  illustrates  the  first  love.  The  affection 
for  Christ  and  devotion  to  Him,  the  One  altogether 
lovely,  was  waning.  Outwardly  everything  may  have 
looked  right,  but  the  Lord,  who  desires  the  deepest 
affection  of  His  people,  knew  that  their  hearts  were 
departing  from  Him.  This  is  the  starting  point  of 
all  church  and  individual  failure.  Their  hearts  were 
growing  cold  towards  Himspif.  Think  it  over!  The 
beginning  of  evil,  in  doctrine  or  in  life,  is  heart-depart- 
ure from  Christ,  and  not  giving  Christ  the  pre-eminence. 
Read  also  Paul's  prediction  concerning  Ephesus  and 
,what  should  come  after  his  departure  (Acts 

Vty^oV^'  Smyrna,  the  Period  of  Persecution.      Verses  8-11. 

tf  Smyrna  stands  for  the  next  period  up  to  about  313  A. D. 
Smyrna  means  "myrrh"  which  was  one  of  the  ingre- 


36  THE  REVELATION 

dients  used  for  the  embalming  of  the  dead.  The  Lord 
in  addressing  this  church  speaks  of  Himself  as  He 
"who  was  dead  and  is  alive."  It  is  the  Church  in 
tribulation  and  persecution.  This  is  clearly  marked 
in  the  message  itself.  "Behold  the  devil  shall  cast 
some  of  you  into  prison  that  ye  may  be  tried;  and 
ye  shall  have  tribulation  ten  days;  be  thou  faithful 
unto  death  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  Such 
a  martyr-period  is  recorded  in  the  history  of  the 
Church.  The  number  ten  is  of  special  interest,  for 
history  informs  us  that  there  were  just  ten  great 
persecutions  of  Christians  by  the  Roman  BTTlp'e'r'ors'. 
It  was  the  work  of  the  devil.  Persecution  of  the  Saints 
of  God  by  pagan  Rome,  papal  Rome  or  by  any  other 
power,  is  always  the  devil's  work.  But  who  are  those 
mentioned  here  and  in  the  message  to  Philadelphia, 
who  say  they  are  Jews  and  are  not,  but  are  of  the 
synagogue  of  Satan  ?  It  is  a  Tudaize^  Christianity  and 
with  it  a  perverted  and  obscured  Gospel.  That  evil 
was  present  in  the  apostolic  age;  it  is  fully  mani- 
fested in  our  own  days.  They  deny  the  Gospel  of 
Grace  and  put  in  its  place  the  Gospel  of  jyorks  and 
salvation  bv  character  in  keeping  the  law.  They  make 
much  of  Sabbath-keeping,  ordinances  and  religious 
observances  and  yet  with  it  all  they  obscure  the  Cross 
and  deny  the  Blood.  They  are  the  synagogue  of 
Satan,  brought  together  by  that  cuning  being  as  a 
religious  company.  It  is  the  false,  the  spurious 
Church  as  we  see  it  almost  universally  about  us. 
~3.  Psrgamos,  the  Pfriod  of  fPorldly  Corruption. 
Verses  12~17.  Pergamos  means  "a  thorough  mar- 
riage." Pergamos  is  described  as  dwelling  where 


THE   REVELATION     y*W>^  37 

'«     $ 

Satan's  throne  (not  seat)  is.  And  Satan's  throne  is 
not  in  Hell,  but  his  throne  is  in  the  world,  this  present 
evil  age,  whose  god  he  is  (2  Cor.  iv:4)-  This  shows 
prophetically  that  period  when  the~  church  gave  up 
her  pilgrim  character  and  was  thoroughly  married 
to  the  world.  A  great  change  took  place.  When  the 
devil  found  that  "the  blood  of  the  martyrs  is  the 
seed  of  the  Church"  he  stopped  his  work  as  the  roaring 
lion  and  took  on  the  form  of  an  angel  of  light.  What 
had  led  to  Israel's  ruin  was  brought  by  the  enemy 
into  the  professing  Church,  that  is  an  unholy  alliance 
with  the  world.  The  instrument  used  to  accomplish 
this  was  the  Emperor  Constantine.  The  suffering, 
persecuted  Church  became  joined  to  the  world,  wedded 
to  the  state;  Constantine  made  the  Church  a  world- 
institution.  This  third  church-period  corresponds  to 
the  third  parable  in  Matthew  xiii.  The  little  mustard 
seed  became  a  Big  tree,  rooted  in  the  field  (the  world) 
and  the.  branches  rilled  with  birds  (representing  un- 
converted people).  Church  historians  have  spoken 
ol  ConsTantineTs  work  as  the  work  of  God  and  a 
victory  of  Christianity.  It  was  rather  the  opposite, 
the  work  of  the  enemy  and  the  defeat  of  true  Chris- 
tianity. The  name  of  Balaam  appears  also.  When  he 
could  not  curse  Israel,  he  put  the  daughters  of  Midian 
and  Moab  amongst  the  people  of  God  and  in  the 
unlawful  mixture  which  followed  he  succeeded  in 
hurting  Israel  (Numbers  xxxi:16;  xxv:l-2;  Jude  ii). 
And  here  the  Nicolaitanes  are  mentioned  for  the 
second  and  last  time.  The  best  and  perhaps  only 
solution  of  this  mysterious  word  is  to  examine  its 
meaning.  It  is  a  Greek  compound.  Nikao  means 


38  THE  REVELATION 

to  have  the  upper  hand,  to  domineer;  laos  means,  the 
people  (our  English  "laity").  Nicolaitanes  signifies 
"the  domineerers  of  the  people."  A  priestly  class  had 
sprung  up  in  the  church,  domineering  over  the  rest  of 
the  people,  the  so-called  laity.  And  this  domineering 
class  claimed  a  superior  place  in  the  body  of  Christ 
and  a  priesthood  which  rightly  belongs  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  This  evil  was  rejected  in  Ephesus,  but  is 
fully  sanctioned  and  tolerated  in  Pergamos.  Priestly 
assumption  became  then,  and  ever  since  has  been,  the 
corruption  of  Christianity.  This  is  what  our  Lord 
hates  and  what  He  hates  we  must  hate  with  Him. 

4.  Thyatira,  the  Period  of  the  Romish  Corruption. 
Verses  18-29.  The  corruption  which  set  in  like  a  great 
flood  with  the  fourth  century  increased  till  the  depths 
of  Satan  (verse  24)  were  reached.  Thyatira  brings 
us  into  the  period  of  the  Papacy  and  its  wickedness, 
ecclesiastical  and  otherwise.  Here  our  Lord  reveals 
Himself  as  "the  Son  of  God."  Rome  speaks  more  of 
Him  as  the  son  of  the  virgin,  the  son  of  Mary,  than  as 
the  Son  of  God.  The  Roman  Catholic  apostasy  has 
put  a  woman  in  the  place  of  the  Son  of  God.  Her 
corruption  is  fully  revealed  in  verse  20.  Jezebel,  who 
called  herself  a  prophetess,  was  permitted  to  teach  and 
seduce  God's  servants  to  commit  fornication  and  to 
eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols.  Jezebgl  the  wicked 
woman  represents  the  Papacy,  x^ezebel  was  a  heathen- 
ish woman  married  to  an  Israelitish  King.  She  was 
a  queen  and  an  idolatress  and  persecuted  the  true 
prophets  of  God  (1  Kings  xviii-xxi).  Apply  all  this 
to  the  Romish  church  with  her  spiritual  fornication  and 
idolatry.  The  church — more  strictly  speaking  the 


THE   REVELATION  39 


Papacy  —  assumes  the  place  of 
and  .Christ  jg_  rejected.  Jezebel  has  a  double  meaning. 
It  means  "the  chaste  one"  but  also  means  "a  dunghill." 
Rome  claims  to  be  the  Bride  of  Christ,  but  in  reality 
is  a  dunghill  of  all  vileness  and  corruption.  In  verse 
21  is  another  signmcant  statement  ^fshe  repents  not" 
(repented  is  incorrect).  Rome  does  not  change. 
She  is  the  same  to-day  as  she  was  500  years  ago. 
She  exists  to-day  and  will  continue  in  her  impenitent 
state  till  the  predicted  doom  will  overtake  her  (verse 
22;  Chapter  xvii-xviii).  In  the  fourth  kingdom 
parable  (Matthew  xiii)  corresponding  to  this  fourth 
church-period,  our  Lord  speaks  of  a  woman,  who 
took  leaven  (corruption)  and  put  it  into  the  fine, 
pure,  three  measures  of  meal  (symbolical  of  the  doctrine 
of  Christ).  The  woman  in  the  parable  of  the  leaven 
is  Rome,  the  Jfijejjel  in  the  message  to  Thyatira. 

H 

Chapter  III 


5.  Sardis^  the  Period  of  the  Reformation  and 
Protestantism.  Verses  1-6.  We  have  traced  briefly 
the  decline  during  the  1450-1500  years  of  Church 
history.  The  climax  is  reached  in  Thyatira,  prophetic- 
ally the  Romanabjom^nation  jindjapostasy.  In  Sardis 
we  see  the  progress  of  evil  stayed.  Roman  Catholicism, 
as  already  mentioned,  is  a  fixed  and  unchanging 
religious  system.  Rome  will  yet  have  for  a  brief 
season  a  startling  revival  and  get  back  her  place  as 
the  mistress  of  the  nations.  But  in  Sardis  we  see  a 
reaction.  Sardis  means  "those  escaping."  It  is  the 
reformation  period,  the  movement  which  produced 


40  THE>[REVELATION 

Protestantism.  The  reformation  itself  was  of  God 
and  the  great  men  who  were  used  were  the  most  mighty 
instruments  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  was  the  greatest 
work,  up  to  that  time,  since  the  days  of  the  apostles. 
But  out  of  it  came  the  human  systems  which  go  by  the 
name  of  Protestantism.  The  reformation  began  well, 
but  soon  developed  in  the  different  Protestant  systems 
into  a  dead,  lifeless  thing.  They  have  a  name  to  live 
but  are  dead.  This  is  the  verdict  of  our  Lord  upon  the 
churches  which  sprung  out  of  the  reformation:  "Thou 
hast  a  name  that  thou  livest  and  art  dead." 

6.  Philadelphia^  the  Faithful  Remnant.  Verses  7-13. 
Philadelphia  means  "Jjggtjig^kyve."  As  Sardis 
came  out  of  Thyatira,  a  protest  against  it,  so  Phila- 
delphia comes  out  of  Sardis  and  is  a  protest  against 
the  dead,  lifeless,  Spiritless  condition  prevailing  in 
Protestantism.  Out  of  the  deadness  of  the  state 
churches  over  and  over  again  came  forth  companies 
of  believers,  energized  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Philadel- 
phia has  been  variously  applied  to  Methodism,  the 
evangelical  movements,  missionary  effo7ts~~ancTto  the 
revivals  of  the  nineteenth  century.  But  it  is  more 
than  that.  It  is  a  complete  return  to  the  first 
principles.  The  message  makes  this  clear.  It 
is  ~tne  one  message  (besides  Smyrna)  in  which 
the  Lord  does  not  say  "I  j  have  against  thee;"  it 
is  that  which  pleases  Hini  and  which  He  com- 
mends. It  is  a  revival  and  turning  back  to  the 
first  love.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  once  more 
as  the  all  absorbing  object  before  the  heart;  Phila- 
delphia repudiates  all  that  dishonors  Him  and  owns 
alone  that  worthy,  ineffable  Name.  It  is  a  faithful 


41 


remnant  gathering  around  His  Name  as  there  was  a 
faithful  remnant  in  the  closing  days  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment (Mai.  iii:16-17).  All  human  pretensions  are 
rejected.  The  truth  of  the  unity  of  all  believers  is 
owned  and  manifested  in  brotherly  love  towards  all 
the  Saints.  They  walk  in  the  path  of  separation,  in 
self-judgment,  in  lowliness  of  mind;  they  have  a  little 
strength,  which  means  weakness;  they  are  a  feeble 
few.  Twice  the  Lord  speaks  of  obedience  to  His 
Word.  "Thou  hast  kept  my  Word"— "Thou  hast 
kept  the  Word  of  my  patience."  And  the  Philadelphian 
does  not  deny  His  Name.  These  are  the  two  chief 
characteristics  of  this  phase  of  Christianity  during 
the  closing  days  of  the  professing  Church  on  earth: 
Obedience  to  His  Word  and  faithfulness  and  devotion  v 
to  His  Name.  The  Word  and  the  Name  are  denied  \ 
in  the  last  days.  The  apostasy  of  Christendom  1 
consists  in  the  rejection  of  the  written^  Word  and  the  J 
living  Word.  And  turning  their  backs  upon  a  dead 
profession,  going  on  in  confessed  weakness  are  such 
paralyzed  in  their  service?  Far  from  it!  The  Lord 
promises  to  open  the  door  for  service  which  no  man 
can  shut.  Every  child  of  God  may  test  this.  True 
and  continued  service  is  the  result  of  true  and  con- 
tinued faithfulness  to  the  Lord.  Especially  is  this 
service  to  be  blessed  to  those  who  hold  to  a  perverted 
Judaized  Gospel  (verse  9).  And  there  is  the  great 
promise  for  them,  which  they  believe  and  hope  for, 
the  coming  of  Himself  to  keep  them  out  of  the  great 
tribulation  (verse  10).  In  Philadelphia  there  is  a 
revival  of  prophetic  truth,  an  earnest  waiting  for  the 
coming  of  the  Lord.  Philadelphia  is  not  a  defined 


42  THE  REVELATION 

church-period  but  rather  a  description  of  a  loyal 
remnant  called  out  by  the  Spirit  of  God  and  bearing 
the  final  testimony  to  the  whole  counsel  of  God  by 
word  and  deed.  If  the  reader  desires  to  please  the 
Lord  then  study  the  details  of  the  message  to  Phila- 
delphia and  walk  accordingly. 

7.  Laodicea,  the  Indifferent  and  Apostate  Church. 
Verses  14-22.  Laodicea  means  "The  judging  or  rights 
of  the  People."  It  is  the  opposite^Trom  Nicolaitamsm. 
The  domineerers  of  the  people  still  go  on  in  Rome,  but 
in  Protestantism  the  people  (the  laity)  arise  and  claim 
their  rights  and  do  the  judging.  This  condition  was 
also  foreseen  by  the  Apostle  Paul.  "For  the  time  will 
come  when  they  (the  laity)  will  not  endure  sound 
doctrine;  but  after  their  own  lusts  shall  they  heap  to 
themselves  teachers,  having  itching  ears"  (2  Tim. 
iv:3).  We  see  in  Laodicea  the  final  religious  and 
apostate  conditions  of  protestant  Christendom  and 
the  complete  rejection  of  the  professing  body.  "I 
will  spue  thee  out  of  my  mouth."  He  Himself  is 
seen  standing  outside,  which  shows  that  He  is  rejected. 
But  infinite  Grace!  He  knocks  and  is  still  willing  to 
come  in  and  bestow  the  riches  of  His  Grace.  And  the 
Philadelphian-Christian,  who  is  separated  from  the 
Laodicean  state,  whose  heart  is  filled  with  the  Love  of 
Christ  can  learn  a  lesson  here.  If  our  Lord  stands 
outside  and  yet  knocks  and  waits  in  patience,  we  too 
with  Him  outside  of  the  camp  where  He  is  disowned, 
can  try  to  gain  admittance  to  Laodicean  hearts.  Epaph- 
ras  did  this  (Col.  iv:12-13).  Laodicea  consists 
in  a  proudly  boasting  spirit  with  total  indifference 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  to  His  Name.  It  is 


?y  plausibl( 
."     Great" 


and    religious   pretences."     Great   reformation    move- 


THE  REVELATION  43 

religiousness  without  any  truth  nor  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Lukewarmness  expresses  it  all.  "Luke- 
warmness,  a  perfect  jumble  of  sacred  and  worldly 
matters.  The  word  does  not  point  chiefly  to  half- 
heartedness.  But  as  lukewarmness  is  produced  by 
pouring  of  hot  and  cold  water  together  into  the  same 
vessel,  so  in  the  Laodicean  state,  intense  worldliness 
will  be  varnished  over  by  plausible  and  humanitarian 

religious 
ments  for  the  advancement  of  religion  and  the  better- 


ment of  the  world,  and  rejection  of  the  Gospel  as  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation,  are  characteristic  features 
of  this  final  phase  of  Christendom.  It  will  continue 
and  wax  worse  and  worse  till  His  patience  is  exhausted. 
Then  the  true  church  will  be  caught  up  with  the  de- 
parted Saints  to  meet  Him  in  the  air,  and  Laodicea  will 
be  spued  out  of  His  mouth.  It  is  important  to  notice 
that  Thyatira  (Rome),  jSardis  (Protestantism)  and  the 
two  phases  oi  Protestantism  represented  by  Phila- 
delphia and  Laodicea  co-exist.  They  go  on  together, 
"fliisis  seen  T5y  thefact  that  in  each  our  Lord  speaks 
of  His  second  coming  (ii:25;  iii:3;  iv:10-ll;  16). 
The  Lord  takes  His  own  to  Himself.  Rome  and  an 
apostate  Protestant  Christendom  continue  on  earth 
during  the  period  of  judgment,  preceding  the  visible 
coming  of  the  Lord. 


r^a/r. 


44 


III.  The  Things  which  are  after  these 
The  End  of  the  Age.  The  consum- 
mation and  the  final  messages 

Chapters  IV-XXII 

FIRST  SUBDIVISION.     THE  HEAVENLY  SCENE. 
BEFORE  THE  THRONE. 

Chapters  IV-V 

Chapter  IV.  The  Open  Door  and  the  Vision  of  the 
Throne.  Verses  1-3.  The  scene  changes  suddenly. 
We  are  no  longer  on  earth  but  are  transported  into 
heaven.  The  true  church  is  gone  and  the  apostate 
Church,  while  still  on  earth  to  pass  into  the  judgments 
of  the  great  tribulation,  is  no  longer  owned  by  the 
Lord  and  therefore  not  mentioned.  That  is  why  the 
word  "church"  disappears  entirely  from  this  book 
after  the  third  chapter.  The  open  door  and  the  voice 
which  calls  "come  up  hither"  and  John's  presence  in 
glory  in  the  spirit,  clearly  indicate  symbolically  the 
fulfilment  of  J  Thess.  iv:15-17.  That  for  which 
the  faithful  remnant  waited,  the  blessed  hope  of  the 
Church,  has  suddenly  come  to  pass.  The  departure 
of  the  true  Church  from  the  earth  will  be  as  sudden 
as  its  beginning  (Acts  ii:l-2).  Surely  the  gathering 
of  all  the  Saints  in  glory  must  some  day  take  place. 
He  promised  it  (John  xiv:l-3).  He  prayed  for  it 
(John  xvii:24).  The  Holy  Spirit  in  the  Epistles  bears 
constant  witness  to  it.  The  shout,  perhaps  the  same 
words  which  John  heard  "Come  up  hitfrer."  will  open 


THE   REVELATION  45 

the  graves  of  all  the  Saints,  and  those  who  are  on 
earth  at  that  time  will  be  caught  up;  yes  dear  reader, 
we  are  authorized  to  say  "we  who  remain  shall  be 
caught  up  together  with  them  in  clouds  to  meet  the 
Lord  in  the  air." 

John's  first  vision  in  heaven  is  the  established 
throne,  the  sign  and  symbol  of  the  universal  govern- 
ment of  God.  While  thrones  on  earth  begin  to  totter 
and  to  fall  and  man's  day  closes  in  the  predicted  up- 
heavals, there  is  a  throne  which  cannot  be  affected 
nor  disturbed.  Yea,  He  who  sitteth  there  and  looks 
down  upon  earth  and  sees  man's  rebellion  and  madness 
laughs  at  them  and  holds  them  in  derision  (Psalm  ii:4). 
The  occupant  of  the  throne  was  to  look  upon  like  a 
Jasper  and  a  Sardine  stone.  They  were  the  first  and 
the  last  precious  stones  in  the  breastplate  of  the 
Highpriest,  only  the  Sardine  stone  is  there  the  first 
while  here  it  is  mentioned  last.  The  names  of  Benjamin 
("the  son  of  the  right  hand")  and  Reuben  (behold  a 
son!)  were  engraven  upon  these  two  stones  (Exod. 
xviii:17-20).  The  Sardine,  probably  identical  with 
the  ruby,  is  a  blood-red  stone.  The  Jasper  is  not 
the  common  Jasper  of  little  value.  See  Chapter  xxi:ll. 
Many  think  it  is  the  diamond  or  perhaps  the  opal. 
Our  Lord^and  the  glory  of  His  Person  are  thus  symbolic- 
ally represented  in  these  stones^  His  glory  in  the 
brilliant  stone,  His  redemption  work  in  the  blood-red 
sardine.  The  rainbow  in  emerald-green  tells  us  that 
in  the  judgments  about  to  come  upon  the  earth  mercy 
will  be  also  remembered.  It  is  the  covenant  sign. 
Though  judgments  come,  yet  mercy  is  in  store  for 
Israel  and  the  earth. 


46  THE  REVELATION 

2.  The  Twenty-jour  Elders.  Verse  4.  Who  is  repre- 
sented by  these  twenty-four  elders?  They  cannot  be 
angels.  Angels  are  never  seen  seated  upon  thrones, 
(not  seats  as  in  the  authorized  version)  nor  are  they 
crowned,  nor  can  they  sing  redemption's  song  as  the 
Elders  do.  There  is  only  one  possible  meaning. 
They  rppygfient  the  redeemed,  the  Saints  in  glory. 
Tflfiey  are  Priests^cESieaiBl"^HHS;  ana  "they  are 
Kings  (crowned);  they  are  the  royal  priesthood  in  the 
presence  of  the  throne.  And  why  twenty-four?  It 
points  us  back  to  the  work  David  did  for  the  temple. 
He  appointed  twenty-four  courses  of  the  priests 
(1  Chron.  xxiv).  Twice  twelve  would  suggest  the 
Saints  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament. 
/  3.  The  Description  of  the  Throne.  Verse  5.  There 

/were  lightnings  and  voices  and  thunderings.  This  is 
repeatedly  stated.  See  viii:5;  xi:18;  xvi:18.  It  is 
the  symbol  of  God*s  thmM^in^its  judicial  aspect. 
TAnd He  wno  occupies  that  throne 
Heaven's  throne,  so  to  speak,  is  getting  ready  for  the 
judgments.  And  the  Elders  are  in  perfect  peace, 
undisturbed  by  these  otherwise  terrifying  mani- 

Vfestations,  sitting  before  the  throne.  There  is  no 
judgment  for  them,  they  are  safe  at  home. 
4.  The  Four  Living  Creatures  and  the  Great  Praise 
and  Worship.  Verses  6-11.  The  sea  of  glass  is  a 
reminder  of  the  great  laver  in  Solomon's  temple  in 
wnrch  the  priests  had  to  wash.  Now  it  is  solidified, 
because  no  more  water  is  needed  for  the  cleansing  of 
the  Saints.  The  word  "beast"  should  be  changed  to 
-^yj|ng  creatures"  or  "living  ones."  They  are  not 
symbolical  of  the  church,  or  a  special  class  of  saints, 


THE  REVELATION  47 


but  they  are  the  same  supernatural  beings  seen  in  the 
Old  Testament   and   always   in  connection  with   the  <\ 

throne  and  the  presence  of  Jehovah.     They  are  the 
cherubim  of  Ezekiel's    great   vision,  chapters  i  and  x. 
Their  constant  cry,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  reminds  us  of  the        I 
seraphim  also.      (Isaiah  vi).      The  worship  here  is  the     * 
worship  of  Him  who  is  "the  creator.  t 

"The  saints  here  fall  down  before  the  throne,  bow  *i 

themselves  before  His  place  in  glory,  and  worship  Him 
in  His  endless  being,  and  lay  down  their  given  glory 
before  His  supreme  and  proper  glory,  ascribing  all  glory 
'  to  Him,  as  alone  worthy  of  it;  but  here,  according  to 
the  nature  of  the  celebration  of  it,  the  Creator  for 
whom  all  things  are.  In  all  changes  these  remained 
true.  It  will  be  remarked  here,  that  the  living  crea- 
tures only  celebrate  and  declare;  the  Elders  worship 
with  understanding.  All  through  the  Revelation  the 
Elders  give  their  reason  for  worshipping.  There  is 
spiritual  intelligence  in  them."* 

Chapter  V.  /.  Who  is  worthy  to  Open  the  Book? 
Verses  1-3.  Much  has  been  written  about  the  meaning 
of  the  book  written  within  and  sealed  with  seven  seals. 
What  the  book  contains  is  no  secret  whatever.  Begin- 
ning with  the  sixth  chapter  the  seals  are  opened  and 
after  they  are  all  broken  the  contents  of  the  book  are 
made  known.  The  book  contains  the  judgments 
for  this  earth  preceding  Hi§  COmmg  in  power  and' 
glory  and  the  beginning  of  His  reign.  It  is  there- 
fore the  book  of  the  righteous  judgments  of  God, 
preceding  the  glorious  manifestation  of  the  King 

*Synopsis. 


48  THE  REVELATION 

rof  kings.  The  same  figure  of  a  book  is  found  in 
Ezekiel  ii:9-10.  And  who  is  worthy  to  open  this 
book  and  make  known,  as  well  as  execute,  its  contents  ? 

2.  The  Answer.  Verses  4-5.  John  receives  the  answer 
to  the  question  the  strong  angel  had  proclaimed.    One 
of  the  Elders  told  him  "Behold  the  lion  of  the  tribe  of 
Judah,  the  Root  of  David,  has  prevailed  to  open  the 
book,  and  the  seven  seals  thereof."  No  further  comment 
is  needed;   the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Lion  of  Judah 
and  the  Root  of  David.     "The  King's  wrath  is  as  a 
roaring  lion"  (Prov.  xix:12).     He  is  now  to  be  revealed 
in  mighty  power  and  strength  to  execute  judgment. 
See  Genesis  xlix:9.     And  He  is  also  the  Root  of  David. 
Both  terms  tell  us  that  Judah  and  the  house  of  David 
will    be    remembered    in    mercy    when    the   judgment 
sweeps  over  the  earth.     The  time  is  at  hand  when  the 
Davidic  covenant-promise    will   be   fully  accomplished 
by  Him  who  is  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah. 

3.  The  Vision  of  the  Lamb.     Verses  6-7.    And  now 
He  is  seen  who  alone  is  worthy  to  open  the  book.     He 
does  not  appear  as  a  Lion  in  majesty,  but  He  is  seen 
by  John  as  a  Lamb  standing,    as  having  been  slain. 
The  Lamb  slain  is  the  Lion.     His  victory  was  gained 
by  dying  and  therefore  He  must  have  as  the  Lion  the 
victory   over   all   His   enemies.     Thrice   the    number 
seven   is   repeated   revealing  His   Qgjfefition.      Notice 
especially  three  descriptions.     He  is  "in  the  midst." 
He  is  the  center  of  God's  government  and  of  heaven 
itself,  as  He  is  for  His  people  the  center  of  all  their 
thoughts  and  affections.     He  is  seen  "as  a  Lamb  stand- 
ing."    Now  He  is  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  God, 
but  when  the  time  comes  when  His  enemies  are  about 


THE  REVELATION  49 

to  be  made  His  footstool,  He  will  arise  to  act.  He 
will  arise  and  have  mercy  upon  Zion  (Psalm  cii:12).. 
And  He  is  seen  as  "the  Lamb  slain."  The  Greek  word 
here  suggests  "slain  in  sacrifice."  In  His  body  after 
His  resurrection  the  Diciples  saw  the  nail-prints  and 
the  wound  the  spear  had  made  (John  xx:20,  25,  27). 
Here  when  He  is  about  to  take  to  Himself  His  rights, 
purchased  by  His  death  on  the  cross,  about  to  usher 
in  His  reign,  the  wound-prints  are  also  seen.  Anl 
when  He  comes  in  great  power  and  glory  the  same 
tokens  of  His  passion  will  be  visible,  for  they  shall 
look  on  Him  whom  they  pierced.  And  what  an 
indescribable  scene  when  He  took  the  book! 

4.  The  Worship  of  the  Living  Creatures  and  the 
Elders,  Verses  8-10.  A  great  worship  scene  follows 
at  once.  The  four  living  Creatures  join  in  with  the 
Elders,  but  the  latter  alone  have  harps  and  golden 
bowls  full  of  incense,  which  are  the  prayers  of  the 
Saints.  The  harps  express  their  great  joy  and  praise 
and  the  bowls  full  of  incense  denotes  the  priestly 

Such  is  part  of  our  glorious 
uture,  an  endless  praise  of  deepest  joy,  and  perfect 
ministry.  The  prayers  of  the  Saints  are  not  the 
prayers  of  the  past,  but  the  prayers  which  Jewish  Saints 
will  pray,  so  beautifully  pre-written  in  the  Psalms,  when 
the  time  of  Jacob's  trouble  is  on  the  earth.  And  then 
the  new  song!  This  is  redemption's  song,  the  song  of 
redeeming  love;  the  old  song  was  the  praise  of  God 
as  the  Creator  in  His  glory  (Job  xxxviii:?).  Redemp- 
tion is  now  accomplished  for  the  Saints  in  glory; 
they  look  forward  to  the  glorious  manifestation  with 


50  THE  REVELATION 

Himself  and  the  great  new  song  bursts  forth  in  all  its 
wonderful  meaning.  We  give  the  better  rendering: 

("Worthy  art  Thou  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the 
seals  thereof;  for  Thou  wast  slain,  and  didst  purchase 
unto  God  by  Thy  blood,  out  of  every  tribe,  and 
tongue,  and  people,  and  nation  and  madest  them  unto 
Dur  God  kings  and  priests,  and  they  shall  reign  over 
the  earth."  The  great  theme  is  He  and  His  worthi- 
"ness.  He  is  worthy;  He  was  slain;  He  hath  pur- 
chased; He  purchased  the  glory  for  His  own.  No 
other  worship  will  be  known  in  heaven.  Happy  are 
we  if  we  sing  redemption's  song  down  here  in  blessed 
anticipation  of  the  soon  coming  consummation,  when 
we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is  "in  the  midst"  and  enter 
upon  our  never  ending  and  glorious  inheritance. 

5.  The  Worthiness  of  the  Lamb  Acclaimed  by  all 
Beings.  Verses  11-14.  The  Praise  of  Him  becomes 
universe-wide.  The  innumerable  company  of  angels 
join  the  praise.  How  many  angels?  "The  number 
of  them  was  myriads  of  myriads  and  thousands  of 
thousands."*  And  the  Praise  described  here  leads  us 
on  to  the  time  when  God  will  be  all  in  all.  It  is  the 
never  ending  praise  of  all  creation.  The  Hallelujah- 
chorus  of  redeemed  Creation!  The  four  living  creatures 
said  "Amen;"  the  Elders  worshipped.  Omit  "Him 
that  liveth  forever  and  ever,"  as  these  words  do  not 
belong  here. 

*This   is   according  to  the  Greek. 


THE  REVELAT 

SECOND  DIVISION.     THE  OPENING  OF 
SEALS. 

Chapters    VI- VIII:  5 

The  Lamb,  invested  with  all  the  authority  to  execu 
judgment,  having  received  His  commission  from 
God,  begins  now  to  open  the  seals  of  the  book  which 
is  in  His  hands,  the  hands  which  were  once  nailed  to 
the  cross.  It  is  evident  that  the  breaking  of  the 
spfflls  doe^jigtcpme  till  His  Saints  are^gathered  around 
the  throne  in  glory.  As  long  as  tnis  nas  not  teen  it  Is 
still  the  day  of  Grace.  Read  Isaiah  lxi:l-2  and 
compare  with  Luke  iv:18-19.  When  He  read  from 
the  book  in  the  synagogue  of  Nazareth,  He  stopped 
with  the  sentence  "to  proclaim  the  acceptable  year 
of  the  Lord."  He  did  not  read  "and  the  day  of 
vengeance  of  our  God."  When  the  Saints  are  gathered 
home,  when  the  true  Church  is  received  into  glory,  the 
acceptable  year~ot  the  Lord  ends.  The  door  will  be 
shut  as  far  as  the  nations  ofChristendom  are  con- 
cerned and  the  day  of  vengeance  will  be  executed. 

In  Matthew  xxiv  in  the  great  prophetic  Olivet 
Discourse,  our  Lord  speaks  of  the  ending  of  the  age. 
Strictly  speaking  it  is  the  end  of  the  interrupted 
Jewish  age,  the  final  seven,  years  of  the  prophecy  in 
Daniel  (Chapter  ix).  The  first  things  which  our 
Lord  mentions  is,  what  He  calls,  "the  beginning  of 
sorrows"  (Matt.  xxiv:8).  And  the  seal  judgments 
are  the  beginning  of  sorrows.  Let  us  look  at  the 
startling  agreement. 

Chapter  VI.  1.  The  First  Seal.  The  White  Horse: 
the  Conquering  Rider.  Verses  1-2.  When  the  first 


52  THE  REVELATION 

seal  is  opened  one  of  the  living  creatures  said  in  voice 
of  thunder:  "Come."  The  words  "and  see"  must  be 
omitted  here  and  in  verses  3,  5,  and  7.  A  rider  upon 
a  white  horse  appears;  his  is  a  bloodless  conquest. 
He  has  a  bow,  but  no  arrow.  He  receives  a  crown  and 
goes  forth  to  conquer.  Many  expositors  make  this 
rider  the  Lord  Jesus  or  some  power  which  represents 

Him It  is  positively  incorrect.     The  Lord  is  indeed 

pictured  as  a~rider  uporTa  white  horse,  but  when  He 
comes  it  will  be  at  the  close  of  the  judgment  and 
tribulation  period  and  His  victorious  conquest  will 
be  far  different  from  the  rider  seen  under  the  first  seal. 
Read  carefully  Psalm  xlv:l-5;  Zech.  ix:9-14;  Rev. 
xix:ll,  etc.,  also  the  Apocalypse  of  Zechariah,  especially 
Chapters  i-ii.  The  rider  here  is  a  great  counterfeit 
leader,  not  the  personal  Anti-christ,  but  the  little 
horn  which  Daniel  saw  coming  out  of  the  ten-horned 
beast  (Daniel  vii).  We  are  writing  in  the  most 
solemn  and  ominous  times  the  world  has  ever  known. 
All  Europe  is  on  fire.  Many  are  the  voices  which  are 
calling  for  a  great  European  confederacy  and  for 
some  great  leader,  another  Napoleon.  The  blinded 
world  looks  for  such  a  one  and  expects  that  he  will 
bring  peace  and  order  into  the  prevailing  chaos.  And 
the  Lord  will  permit  such  a  one  to  come,  deceiving 
the  world  so  that  they  will  say  "peace  and  safety" 
Thess.  v:l-3).  This  coming  leader  of  the  revived 
Loman  empire  will  go  forth  to  conquer  and  become 
ijbs  political  head.  He  is  Satan's  man  as  we  shall 
see  later.  No  human  being  knows  how  long  God, 
in  His  infinite  patience,  may  still  delay  the  beginning 
of  all  these  things.  But  as  far  as  mortal  eyes  can  see,  en- 


THE  REVELATION  53 

lightened  by  His  Word  and  Spirit,  these  things  are  at 
hand  and  the  outcome  of  the  European  war  may  be 
this  confederacy  and  the  rider  upon  the  white  horse  will 
begin  his  conquest.  And  if  so,  how  near,  how  very 
near,  the  home-gathering  of  the  Saints  must  be.  And 
this  is  the  first  thing  our  Lord  mentions  in  the  Olivet 
Discourse,  to  take  place  as  the  age  ends,  false  Christs, 
deceivers  (Matt.  xxiv:4-5). 

2.  The   Second  Seal,     The  Red  Horse.     The   Rider 
With  the  Great  Sword.     Verses  3-4.     The  second  seal 
reveals  a  rider  upon  a  red  horse.     He  takes  away  the 
false  peace,   which  the    rider    upon  the  white   horse 
as  a  divine  judgment  act  established.     The  universal 
peace  of  which  the  world  dreams  without  the  presence 
of  the  Prince  of  Peace,  will  be  of  a  short  duration. 
Another  awful  war  follows.     It  will  not  be  war  alone 
between  nation  and  nation,  but  it  will  be  a  world- 
wide reign  of  terror  and  bloodshed,  a  carnage  unknown 
before  in  the  history  of  the  world.     Not  a  few  believe 
that  the  present  war  is  the  second  seal.     But  this  is 
not  correct  because  the  true  Church  is  still  here.  Some- 
thing far  worse  is  in  store  for  the  earth.     Even  keen 
observers  in  the  world  say  that  this  will  not  be  the  last 
war  the  world  will  see.     Blessed  be  His  Name!  that 
we  His  people  will  escape  these  coming  judgments. 
See   in   Matthew  xxiv   how  our   Lord   mentions   the 
great  conflict  of  nation  against  nation  and  kingdom 
against  kingdom. 

3.  The   Third  Seal.     The  Black  Horse.     The  Rider 
With    the    Balance.     Verses    5-6.     The    black    horse 
rider  brings  famine.     Exactly  what  our  Lord  mentions 
next:  "there  shall  be  famines."     Famine  always  follows 


54  THE  REVELATION 

a  war  and  inasmuch  as  the  second  seal  brings  the 
greatest  war,  the  third  seal  will  bring  the  greatest 
famine.  The-  judgments  of  God  are  then  on  the 
earth.  It  has  been  estimated  that  a  denarius  (wrongly 
translated  penny)  was  about  one  dollar  and  a  half 
in  our  money,  and  a  measure  of  wheat,  a  "choenix" 
about  one  of  our  quarts.  A  quart  of  wheat  for  a 
dollar  and  a  half.  Starvation  will  come  then  for 
countless  thousands.  The  rich  seem  to  escape  a  part 
of  this  judgment  for  the  oil  and  the  wine,  the  luxuries 
of  the  well  to  do,  are  not  to  be  hurt.  They  will  receive 
their  share  of  judgment  later.  And  our  Lord  also 
speaks  of  famines  in  Matthew  xxiv. 

4.  The  Fourth  Seal.     The  Pale   Horse.     The  Rider 
Followed    by     Hades.     Verses    7-8.     The    next    rider 
under  the  fourth  seal   is   named;    his  name   is  death. 
And^  Hades,  the  region  of  the  unseen,   (not  hell)   is 
populated.     Sword,  hunger,  death,  that  is  pestilences 
and  the  beasts  of  the  earth,  claim  an  awful  harvest 
(Ezek.  xiv:21).     And   so  our  Lord   spoke  of  "pesti- 
lences."   These  four  seal  judgments  are  hardening  judg- 
ments.  The  Christless  masses  of  Christendom  will  not 
recognize  the  hand  of  God  in  these  awful  visitations. 
It  is  different  in  the  present  war  of  Europe  because 
the  testimony  of  the  Gospel  is  still  given,  backed  by  the 
prayers  of  God's  people.     But  after  the  true  Church 
is  gone  and  the  Lord  has  spued  out  Laodicea  these 
judgments  will  only  harden  their  hearts. 

5.  The  Fifth  Seal.    -The  Cry  of  the  Souls   Under  the 
Altar.     Verses  9-11.    The  four  living  Creatures  had 
uttered  their  fourfold  "Come."     They  are  thus  seen 
in    connection   with   the   providential    government   of 


THE  REVELATION  55 

the  world.  Under  the  fifth  seal  the  scene  changeth 
completely.  John  saw  under  the  altar  the  souls  of 
them  that  had  been  slain.  And  they  cry,  "How  long, 
O  Lord!"  Who  are  they?  Not  the  martyrs  of  past 
ages.  They  were  raised  up  and  are  in  glory  with 
redeemed  bodies.  Heretlie  words  of  our  Lord  in  the 
Olivet  Discourse  give  us  the  Key.  Speaking  to  His 
Jewish  disciples  He  said:  "Then  shall  they  deliver 
you  up,  and  shall  kill  you  and  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all 
nations  for  my  Name's  sake"  (Matt.  xxiv:9).  The  Lord 
speaks  of  another  company  of  Jewish  disciples  who  will 
bear  a  witness  during  the  end  of  the  age,  after  the  rap- 
ture of  the  Church.  He  will  not  leave  Himself  without 
a  witness.  He  calls  a  remnant  of  His  people  Israel  and 
they  bear  a  witness  to  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  their 
coming  deliverer  and  King.  Many  of  them  suffer  mar- 
tyrdom. Their  cry,  "How  long?"  is  the  well  known 
prayer  of  Jewish  saints;  and  their  prayer  to  have 
their  blood  avenged  is  equally  a  Jewish  prayer.  Chris- 
tians are  not  supplicating  for  vengeance  on  their  foes. 
The  prayer  for  vengeance  refers  us  to  the  imprecatory 
psalms  prewritten  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  anticipation 
of  the  final  persecution  of  Jewish  believers.  And  the 
fellow  servants  and  their  brethren  who  are  yet  to  be 
killed  (verse  11)  are  the  martyrs  of  that  remnant 
during  the  final  three  and  one-half  years,  which  is  the 
great  tribulation.  See  them  mentioned  in  Chapter 
xx  :4.  Notice  the  two  classes  there  which  we  find  here 
under  the  fifth  seal.  The  Saints  whom  Daniel  men- 
tions (Dan.  vii:27)  who  receive  the  Kingdom  are  these 
Jewish  Saints.  The  Saints  of  the  Most  High  as  men- 
tioned by  Daniel  are  not  the  church-saints. 


56  THE  REVELATION 

6.  The  Sixth  Seal.  The  Shaking  of  all  Things.  The 
Anticipation  of  the  End.  Verses  12-17 .  Are  the 
things  mentioned  under  this  seal  to  be  taken  in  a 
literal  sense  or  symbolically?  Most  of  it  is  symbolical, 
yet  at  the  same  time  great  physical  phenomena  are  also 
involved.  The  earthquake  possibly  means  a  literal 
earthquake.  "Earthquakes  in  diverse  places"  our 
Lord  predicted.  And  they  increase  as  the  age  draws 
to  its  close.  But  the  language  is  symbolical.  -  Uvery- 
thing  is  being  shaken  in  this  poor  world.  The  civil 
and  governmental  powers  on  earth  all  go  to  pieces; 
every  class  from  kings  to  slaves  are  affected  by  it  and 
terrorized.  The  political  and  ecclesiastical  world  is 
going  to  pieces,  ^ee  the  list  of  symbolical  names  and 
their  meaning  at  the  close  of  this  volume.  And  when 
these  shaking  times  have  come,  when  thrones  fall  and 
anarchy  reigns,  when  the  great  collapse  of  civilization 
and  human  society  has  come  with  signs  on  earth  and 
in  heaven,  the  earth-dwellers  will  see  in  anticipation 
the  approaching  day  of  wrath.  Terror  fills  every 
breast  and  those  who  sneered  at  prayer,  as  the  Christ- 
rejecters  do  now,  will  gather  for  a  prayer-meeting  to 
appeal  to  the  rocks  to  cover  them.  Read  the  follow- 
ing Old  Testament  passages  in  connection  with  this 
seal.  Isaiah  xxiv;  xxxiv:2-4;  Joel  ii:30-31;  Zephaniah 
i;  Haggai  ii:6-7. 

BETWEEN  THE  SIXTH  AND  SEVENTH  SEAL. 
A  PARENTHETICAL  VISION. 

Chapter  VII. 

Chapter  VII.  /.  The  Remnant  of  Israel  Called  and 
Sealed.  Verses  1-8.  We  reach  now  the  first  paren- 


dUt  &* 

THE   REVELATION  57 


thetical  vision.     It  must  not  be  taken  chronologically. 
The  six  seal  judgments  extend  over  the  entire  period 
of  the  age  ending.    The_jider  upon  the  white  horse  will    / 
be  on  the  scene  to  the  end;  wars  will  continue  to  the 

^MMM 

end,  and  culminate  in  the  battle  of  Armageddon,  and 
so  do  the  famines  and  pestilences.  And  the  sixth 
seal  brings  the  end  in  view.  We  shall  see  the  corre- 
spondency  with  the  seventh  trumpet  and  seventh  vial 
later.  The  trumpet  and  vial  judgments  are  more 
intense  and  more  terrible  than  any  of  the  seal  judg- 
ments. In  a  certain  sense  they  are  parallel;  the  effect 
of  each  is  continuously  felt.  The  parenthetical  vision 
of  the  seventh  chapter  also  covers  the  entire  period  of 
the  last  seven  years  and  brings  before  us  even  the 
vision  of  what  will  be  after  the  great  tribulation. 

How  much  confusion  would  have  been  avoided  if 
expositors  and  Christians  in  searching  for  the  meaning 
of  this  vision,  had  not  lost  sight  of  two  great  facts 
1.  This  chapter  can  have  no  application  to  the  Church 
on  earth,  nor  to  the  Church  in  glory,  for  the  simple 
reason  that  the  Church  is  already  complete  and  trans- 
lated in  glory.  2.  The  vision  states  clearly  that  the 
sealed  company  is  "of  all  the  tribes  of  the  children  of 
Israel."  There  are  to-day  perhaps  a  score  or  more  of 
little  sects  who  all  claim  to  be  the  144,000.  Holiness 
sects,  Adventistic  sects,  healers,  Pentecostal  people 
and  others,  all  claim  to  be  the  company.  We  feel 
sorry  for  those  of  our  brethren  who  are  led  astray  by 
these  false  interpretations.  If  the  true  interpretation 
of  Revelation  is  seen,  that  this  company  is  called  after 
the  rapture  of  the  Church,  these  confusing  theories  will 
at  once  be  rejected. 


58  THE  REVELATION 

The  sealed  company  is  of  Israel.  After  the  Church 
is  removed  to  glory,  when  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles 
is  come  in  (Rom.  xi:26)  the  Lord  will  turn  in  mercy 
to  Israel  and  call,  before  the  judgments  fall,  a  remnant 
which  will  also  be  sealed  (See  Ezek.  ix).  This  remnant 
is  frequently  seen  on  the  pages  of  Old  Testament 
prophecy.  We  read  prophetically  their  longings  and 
their  prayers.  We  give  a  few  passages  of  the  many: 
Ps.  xliv:10-26;  Iv-lvii;  Ixiv;  Ixxix;  Ixxx;  Isaiah  Ixiii: 
15-lxiv.  This  remnant,  enlightened  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  will  pass  through  the  entire  seven  years.  Many 
of  them  will  suffer  martyrdom,  out  tne  greater  part 
will  pass  through  the  entire  tribulation,  enduring  to  the 
end  and  then  saved  by  their  King,  our  Lord,  when 
He  comes  in  glory.  The  so-called  orthodox  Jews 
will  probably  constitute  with  members  of  the  other 
tribes*  this  remnant.  The  number,  144T000,  that 
is,  12,000  out  of  each  tribe,  must  be  looked  upon 
as  ^Ymbolic.  It  speaks  of  the  complete  government, 
which  as  to  the  earth,  is  invested  in  a  redeemed  and 
restored  Israel.  Dan  is  not  mentioned  because  that 
tribe  seems  to  be  identified  with  Satan's  work  during 
the  tribulation  (See  Gen.  xlix:17).  This  sealed  com- 
pany also  bears  a  great  testimony.  They  are  the 
preachers  of  the  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom,  as  a  witness 
to  all  nations  before  the  end  comes  (Matt.  xxiv:14). 
Therefore  during  the  time  when  the  judgments  are 
executed  from  above  there  will  be  a  world-wide  preach- 
ing of  the  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom,  proclaiming  the 


*No  one  knows  where  the  ten  tribes  are;   but  God  knows  and 
He  will  bring  them  to  light  at  that  time. 


THE   REVELATION  59 

coming  of  the  King,  calling  to  repentance  and  faith  in 
His  Name,  and  offering  mercy  still. 

2.  The  Saved  Multitude  of  Gentiles  Coming  Out  of  the 
Great  Tribulation.  Verses  9-17 .  The  application  of 
this  great  multitude,  John  sees  next,  to  the  redeemed 
Church  in  glory  is  totally  incorrect.  This  is  a  company 
which  comes  "out  of  the  great  tribulation."  The 
Church  enters  the  glory  before  that  great  tribulation  ever 
begins.  The  great  multitude  represents  those  Gentiles., 
who  heard  the  final  testimony  and  believed.  They 
turned  in  repentance  to  Him  and  were  also  washed 
in  His  precious  Blood.  Our  Lord  speaks  of  them  in 
the  great  judgment  of  the  nations  as  sheep,  who  .stand 
at  His  right  hand  and  inherit  the  Kingdom  (Matt, 
xxv :31,  etc.).  The  brethren  of  our  Lord  mentioned  in 
Tviatthew  are  the  rem  n  an  tnfj  srgpl .  For  a  complete 


exposition  see  "The  Gospel  of  Matthew,"  by  the  author 
of  this  volume.  This  great  company  therefore  does 
not  stand  before  a  h^av^y  ihrnnp|  but  before  the 
millennial  throne  on  earth.  It  is  a  millennial  scene 
<aTFe7T1ie^nT)uTation  is  passed.  Sometimes  the  question 
is  asked,  will  there  T>e  another  chance  for  the  Gospel 
hardened  multitudes  of  Laodicean  Christendom  during 
the  tribulation?  Will  the  large  number  of  nominal 
Christians  accept  the  final  message  given  through 
the  remnant  of  Isfael?  In  view  of  2  Thess.  ii:l-12 
we  are  bound  /to  answer  this  question  negatively. 
This  great  company  is  gathered  from  all  nations, 
many  of  whom  never  heard  a  message  of  mercy  before. 
The  temple  mentioned  is  the  millennial  temple  (Ezek. 
xl-xliv).  And  then  there  is  a  description  of  the  mil- 
lennial blessings  for  these  redeemed  nations. 


60  THE  REVELATION 

Chapter  VIII.  The  Seventh  Seal.  Verses  1-5. 
What  does  the  silence  in  heaven  mean  when  the  seventh 
seal  is  opened?  It  is  indicative  of  the  solemn  things 
which  are  now  to  come.  The  scroll  is  now  fully  opened 
and  there  is  an  ominous  hush  ere  the  seven  angels 
step  forward  to  sound  their  trumpets  of  judgment. 
John  beholds  these  seven  angels,  but  before  they 
sound  "another  angel"  is  seen  standing  at  the  altar. 
This  angel  is  not  a  creature,  but  like  the  angel  of  Jehovah 
in  the  Old  Testament,  is  our  Lord  Himself.  He  is  seen 
as  the  Priest  in  behalf  of  the  praying,  suffering  Saints 
on  earth.  No  angel  can  offer  the  prayers  of  the  Saints, 
but  He,  who  is  the  one  Intercessor  alone  can  do  that. 
And  for  what  do  they  pray  on  earth?  For  mercy  for 
those  who  persecute  the  remnant  of  Israel?  No! 
They  pray  for  divine  intervention,  for  the  fire  of  judg- 
ment as  Elijah  did.  And  therefore  the  Lord  answers 
them  accordingly.  He  fills  the  censer  with  fire  of 
the  altar  of  God's  holiness  and  casts  it  into  the  earth. 
And  there  were  voices,  and  thunderings,  and  lightnings, 
and  an  earthquake. 

THIRD  DIVISION:  THE  SOUNDING  OF  THE  SEVEN 
TRUMPETS 

Chapters  VIII:6-XI :  18 

Chapter  VIII.  ;.  The  First  Trumpet.  Verses  6-7. 
The  judgments  which  follow  can  hardly  be  fully  com- 
prehended at  this  time.  It  would  be  folly  to  be  dog- 
matic about  these  matters.  The  so-called  historical 
application  we  reject  entirely,  because  the  scope  of 
the  book  makes  it  clear  that  these  judgments  have 
not  yet  been.  What  many  of  these  things  mean  may 


THE   REVELATION  61 

perhaps  never  be  fully  understood  till  they  are  actually 
in    fulfillment.     The  first    four    trumpet    judgments 
evidently  stand  by  themselves.     The  cry  for  judgment 
from  the  suffering  and  persecuted  remnant  of  God's 
ancient  people  is   answered  in  what  happens  on  the 
earth.     The  fire  the  Lord  cast  down  is  doing  its  work. 
The   first   trumpet   manifests   the   same   evidences   of 
divine  wrath  as  came  upon  Egypt,  when  Israel  suffered 
there,  under  the  seventh  plague   (Exodus  ix:23).     Hajl      Lf   \ 
(heat  withdrawn),  fire  and  blood  are  all  the  symbols-?  '*•  ' 
of  divine  wratti.    The  trees  and  the  green  grass  were 
burned  up.     The  green  things,  are  symbojs  of  agri- 
cultural    and     rnTprr|pr<-i'a]     prosperity.     All    is    then 
passing  and  man's  boasted  prosperity  ends  in  a  great 
calamity.     The    third    part    mentioned   repeatedly   in 
these  trumpet  judgments  means  the  Roman  empire.  CT  y 
Terrible  devastation  by   different  agencies,   including      ** 
burning  heat,  will  sweep  over  that  empire. 

2.  The  Second  Trumpet.     Verses  8-9.     That  this  is 
not  a   literal  mountain  is  obvious.     A   mountain  in 
Scripture  language  represents  a  Kingdom   (Isaiah  ii:_ 

J,         2;  Zech.  iv:7;  Psalm.  xlvi:2;  and  especially  Jerem.  li:25).  ~" 
(j    «^  The  sea  is  typical  of  nations.     Some  kingdom,  inter- 
^Q  nally  on  fire,  signifying    probably  revolution,  will    be 
precipitated  into  the  restless  sea  of  nations  and  the 
result  will  be   a   still  greater  destruction  of  life   and 
commerce,  which  is  represented  by  the  ships. 

3.  The     Third     Trumpet.     Verses    10-11.     In    the 
preceding  trumpets  things  were  cast  upon  the  earth, 
but  here  is  a  star  which  falls.     It  is  some  person  who 
claimed  authority  and  who  becomes  an  apostate,  whose 
fall  produces  the  awful  results  given  here.     It  may  be 


62  THE  REVELATION 

the  final  Anti-christ  who  first  may  have  claimed  to  be 
for  Israel  a  great  teacher  with  divine  authority  and 
then  takes  the  awful  plunge.  Worm-wood  is  his 
name  and  the  waters  became  worm-wood  and  bitter. 
It  stands  for  great  corruption. 

4.   The  Fourth   Trumpet.     Verses  12-13.    The    sun, 
the  moon   and  the  stars  are  now  affected.     The    sun. 
is  the  symbol  of  the  highest  authority,  the  moon,  who 
has  not  her  own  light  is  symbolical  of  derived  authority 
and  the  stars  are  symbolical  of  subordinate  authority. 
The   symbolical   meaning   of   this   trumpet  judgment 
is  that  all  authority  within  the  revived  Roman  empire 
will  be  smitten  by  the  hand  from  above  and  as  a  result 
there  will  be  the  most  awful  moral  darkness.     These 
four    trumpet  judgments    tell    a    consecutive    story. 
I   Prosperity  will  be  taken  first  from  the  earth;  a  great 
)     power  burning  with  the  fires  of  revolution  will  affect 
>    the  nations;  a  great  ^leader  will  fall  and  become  worm- 
^.   wood;  and  authority  disowned  and  smitten  will  fill  the 
*T*  territory  of  the  Roman  empire  with  the  densest  dark- 
ness.    Before  this  great  war  we  often  heard  people 
say  how  impossible  all  this  sounds.     No  one  can  say 
so  any  longer.     Europe's  condition  is  appalling  and 
what  will  it  be  when  these  judgments  fall! 

Chapter  IX.  5.  The  Fifth  Trumpet.  Verses  1-12. 
The  remaining  three  trumpets  have  a  "woe"  attached 
to  each.  This  is  announced  in  the  last  verse  of  the  pre- 
ceding chapter  where  the  word  angel  should  be  changed 
to  "eagle."  An  eagle,  the  bird  of  prey,  proclaims 
the""thr'e'S-lold  woe.  He  acts  thus  as  an  herald  of  great 
judgments  (Matt.  xxiv:28;  Rev.  xix:17-18).  The 


THE  REVELATION  63 

fifth  trumpet  is  a  special  judgment  upon  apostate 
Israel;  because  those  who  suffer  are  they  "which  have 
not  the  seal  of  God  on  their  foreheads"  (verse  4).  The 
great  tribulation  proper,  the  second  half  of  the  week, 
comes  now  into  prominence.  If  we  turn  to  chapter 
xii:12  we  read  something  similar  to  the  eagle's  message 
of  woe.  "Woe  unto  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth  and  of 
the  sea!  for  the  devil  is  come  down  unto  you,  having 
great  wrath,  because  he  knoweth  that  he  hath  but 
a  short  time."  Preceding  the  sounding  of  the  fifth 
trumpet  the  eagle  proclaimed  the  woe  upon  the  in- 
habiters of  the  earth.  The^star  which  is  seen  fallen 
from  heaven  with  the  key  of  the  pit  of  the  abyss  is 
Satan  himself  cast  out  of  heaven.  The  details  of 
this  event  we  learn  in  the  twelfth  chapter.  He  has 
the  key  to  the  pit  of  the  abyss,  the  same  word  "deep," 
used  in  Luke  viii:31.  "And  they  (the  demons)  be- 
sought Him  that  He  would  not  command  them  to  go 
out  into  the  deep  (abyss)."  He  unlocks  the  prison 
house  of  the  fallen  angels  and  the  most  awful  satanic 
agencies  come  forth  to  begin  their  awful  work  of 
torment.  The  smoke  first,  symbolical  of  darkening; 
the  locusts  next,  symbolical  of  these  demon  powers. 
Awful  darkness  prevails  and  the  most  diabolical  delu- 
sions, producing  fearful  torments  among  apostate 
Israel  and  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth.  It  is  the  time 
of  the  strong  delusion  (2  Thess.  ii:4-ll)  which  has 
come.  And  over  them  is  a  King.  His  name  is  given 
in  Greek  and  Hebrew.  Both  names  mean  the  same- — 
"destruction."  Apostate  Israel  and  also  apostate 
Christendom  will  suffer  greatly  under  this  trumpet 
judgment  and  face  the  desolation  of  everything  relig- 


64  THE  REVELATION 

ious.  The  light  is  now  completely  blotted  out  and 
in  the  darkness  coming  from  the  pit  of  the  abyss  the 
demon  powers  will  do  their  fearful  work.  Demon- 
possession  and  the  most  awful  torments  for  soul  and 
body  will  be  the  general  thing.  Because  this  judg- 
ment also  concerns  apostate  Christendom  the  Greek 
name  of  the  destroyer  is  given  besides  the  Hebrew. 

2.  The  Sixth  Trumpet.  The  Second  Woe.  Verses 
13-21.  The  sixth  angel  is  commanded  by  a  voice 
from  the  horns  of  the  golden  altar  to  loose  the  four 
angels  who  are  bound  at  Euphrates  and  as  a  result 
an  innumerable  company  of  horsemen*  is  released. 
They  are  prepared  for  a  specific  time  to  do  their  work. 
Euphrates  is  once  more  mentioned  and  that  under 
the  pouring  out  of  the  sixth  vial.  We  believe  the 
sixth  vial  judgment  gives  the  key  to  these  horsemen 
here.  Euphrates  does  not  mean  the  Turkish  empire 
as  we  shall  more  fully  show  when  we  come  to  the 
sixth  vial.  This  river  was  both  the  boundary  line 
of  the  Hrl  finmaa  iMapirf  nnd  t-h?  lanj -«f  TflrflH 
Restraining  influences  held  back  the  tide  of  nations 
on  the  other  side  of  the  river;  this  restraint  is  now 
removed  and  therefore  a  great  invasion  takes  place. 
As  the  land  of  Israel  is  nearest  it  will  suffer  first,  but 
the  revived  Roman  empire  will  be  the  objective  of 
these  invading  hordes.  The  "third  part"  stands  for  the 
Roman  pnjpir^  th»  rr>mi'np  p.nrppean  confederacy. 
Tnls  Invasion  is  under  the  King  of  the  North.  It 

*Greek:  twice  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  that  is 
200  million.  The  number  would  indicate  the  immense,  un- 
countable hordes. 


/£»<•         -         £ 

r          ^ 


THE  REVELATION  65 


is  seen  in  its  beginning  here  and  is  consummated 
under  the  sixth  vial.  There  the  "Kings  of  the  Sunrise" 
are  included.  And  under  the  sixth  vial  they  are  more 
specifically  gathered  for  the  great  day  of  God  Al- 
mighty. We  refer  the  reader  to  chapter  xvi:12. 
The  four  angels  have  been  variously  interpreted. 
They  must  not  be  identified  with  the  angels  in  chapter 
vii:l.  We  can  only  say  again  that  these  things  will 
be  fully  known  when  they  pass  into  history.  Con- 
nected with  this  invasion  there  is  another  manifestation 
of  demon  power.  Serpents  are  mentioned.  The 
Serpent,  Satan,  and  his  .serpents,  demons,  are  then 
on  the  earth.  Everything  is  under  Satanic  control. 
And  the  great  mass  of  Apostates  who  escaped  these 
plagues  did  not  repent.  They  have  become  so  blinded 
that  they  worship  idols  again,  and  demons,  and  con- 
nected with  it  are  the  grossest  immoralities. 

BETWEEN  THE  SIXTH  AND  SEVENTH  TRUMPET. 
PARENTHETICAL  VISIONS. 

Chapters  X-XI:14. 

As  there  was  a  parenthesis  between  the  breaking 
of  the  sixth  and  seventh  seals  so  is  there  a  parenthesis 
between  the  sixth  and  seventh  trumpet  and  later  we 
shall  find  another  one  between  the  sixth  and  seventh 
vial. 

Chapter  X.  1.  The  Descending  Angel.  Verses  1-7. 
The  proclamation  of  the  mighty  angel  is  the  first 
recorded  event  in  this  parenthesis.  Who  is  this  angel? 
It  is  Christ  Himself.  WTe  saw  our  Lord  in  angel's 
form  before  the  opening  of  the  seventh  seal  and  then 


66  THE  REVELATION 

He  appeared  in  priestly  dignity.  Here  before  the 
sounding  of  the  seventR  trumpet  he  appears  again 
in  the  same  form,  but  He  is  called  a  mighty  angel 
and  we  behold  Him  in  _*"oyg/  dignity.  The  cloud, 
the  rainbow,  the  face  like  the  sun,  His  right  foot 
upon  the  sea,  the  left  on  the  earth,  the  voice  like  a 
lion  and  the  seven  thunders,  all  declare  this  to  be 
correct.  The  hour  is  rapidly  approaching  when  the 
kingdoms  of  this  earth  are  to  become  His  Kingdom. 
ihls  is  seen  uiiacrfHPocYcnTi^Lrumet.  And  there- 


fore  He  is  seen  now  in  this  attitude  of  royal  dignity. 
The  words  which  He  speaks  (verses  6  and  7)  bear 
out  this  interpretation.  "There  shall  be  time  no 
longer"  means  "there  shall  be  no  longer  delay."  Man's 
day  is  about  to  close.  The  mystery  of  God  is  now 
to  be  finished  "as  He  hath  declared  to  His  servants, 
the  prophets,"  or  in  better  rendering  "the  mystery 
of  God  also  shall  be  completed  according  to  the  good 
tidings  which  He  declared  by  His  own  servants,  the 
prophets."  How  great  has  been  that  mystery!  Evil 
had  apparently  triumphed;  the  heavens  for  so  long 
have  been  silent.  Satan  had  been  permitted  to  be  the 
god  of  this  age  deceiving  the  nations.  And  Israel, 
too,  is  included  in  this  mystery.  And  now  the  time 
has  come  when  the  mystery  of  God  will  be  completed, 
when  the  glorious  messages,  the  good  tidings  of  the 
prophets  concerning  Israel's  blessing  and  the  kingdom 
will  be  fulfilled. 

2.  The  Little  Book.  Verses  8-11.  But  what  is  the 
little  book  which  the  angel  holds  in  His  right  hand? 
It  is  not  a  sealed  book,  but  open.  It  stands  for  the 
prophecies  in  the  Old  Te&tanjent  relating  especially 


THE  REVELATION  67 

to  Israel  during  the  time  of  the  great  tribulation, 
what  is  yet  to  come  upon  the  earth,  culminating 
in  the  personal  and  glorious  appearing  of  the  Lord  to 
begin  His  millennial  reign.  Butfwe  do  Tiot  need  to  say 
more.  We  saw  the  contents  of  the  seven-sealed  book 
in  chapter  v  were  made  known  when  the  Lamb  opened 
the  seals.  And  the  contents  of  the  little  book  we 
shall  also  know.  What  follows  after  the  parenthesis 
takes  us  upon  Jewish  ground  and  shows  the  fulfillment  of 
these  prophecies.  And  John  was  commanded  to  eat 
the  book  (see  Ezek.  ii:8-iii:3).  It  was  sweet  and  bitter. 
Such  is  the  prophetic  Word  concerning  these  things. 
Sweet  because  it  tells  of  deliverance  and  a  glorious 
consummation,  but  when  it  is  digested,  taken  in,  it 
reveals  the  bitterness,  the  sorrows  and  judgments 
which  are  connected  with  it.  And  John  had  more 
to  prophesy  in  connection  with  the  end,  concerning 
peoples,  nations,  tongues  and  many  kings.  And 
this  we  find  in  the  chapters  which  follow. 

Chapter  XI.  3.  The  Temple,  Altar  and  Jewish 
Worshippers.  Verses  1-2.  We  see  at  once  how 
Jewish  things  come  now  into  view.  To  apply  these 
verses  to  the  Church  and  make  the  temple  the  Church 
is  absolutely  wrong.  The  temple  and  the  altar  are 
Jewish;  the  holy  city  is  Jerusalem.  After  the  Church 
has  left  the  earth  the  Jewish  people  will  be  fully 
restored  to  their  own  land.  They  will  possess  Jeru- 
salem once  more.  It  is  even  revealed  that  a  power 
beyond  the  land  of  Israel,  friendly  to  the  Jews,  will 
be  used  in  this  restoration  (Isaiah  xviii).  It  is  deeply 
significant  to  read  during  this  present  world-crisis  of 


68  THE  REVELATION 

the  soon  coming  disposition  of  Palestine.  In  the  daily 
press  and  in  magazines  the  suggestion  is  made  that 
Palestine  should  be  handed  over  to  the  Jews.  When 
one  follows  the  history  of  Zionism  aiming  at  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  Jewish  State  and  no"w  sees  how  European 
nations  begin  to  recognize  the  claims  of  the  Jews,  and 
promise  their  help  in  their  restoration,  one  cannot  but 
feel  that  these  things  are  very  near.  A  partial  restora- 
tion may  be  looked  for  even  now  while  the  true  Church 
is  still  here.  When  the  Jews  are  once  more  masters 
.in  their  own  promised  land  they  will  erect  another  ^-> 
tgjnple  and  then  restore  the  Mosaic  worship  as  far  as  7  . 
it  is  possible.  Such  a  temple  must  be  in  Jerusalem 
(see  Isaiah  lxvi:l-4).  In  that  temple  the  personal  //h±* 
Anti-christ,  the  beast  out  of  the  land  of  whom  we  shall 
read  in  chapter  xiii,  will  appear  and  claim  divine 
worship.  See  2  Thess.  ii:3-4.  The  apostate  Israel 
altogether  in  corrupt  alliance  with  ""equally 


Gentiles  are  seen  in  the  opening  verses  of  this  eleventh 
chapter,  as  the  court  without  the  temple.  But  in 
the  midst  of  this  corrupt  mass,  which  will  follow  the 
delusion  of  the  Anti-christ  and  accept  Satan's  man 
as  their  Messiah,  there  will  be  the  God-fearing  rem- 
nant. This  remnant  is  here  divinely  recognized 
as  worshippers.  Therefore  that  coming  temple  is 
called  "the  temple  of  God"  because  the  Lord  owns 
the  true  worshippers  found  in  the  midst  of  the  unbe- 
lieving mass.  These  godly  Jews  form  an  inner  circle. 
The  inner  place  is  symbolical  of  the  faithful  remnant 
of  worshippers;  the  outer  court  is  the  symbol  of  apos- 
tate Israel.  The  forty-two  months  are  now  mentioned 
for  the  first  time  in  Revelation.  They  are  identical 


I- 


THE  REVELATION 

with  the  1,260  days,  for  forty-two  months  make  this 
number  of  days,  the  times,  time  and  half  a  time  ii 
the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  the  last  three  and  one-half 
years  of  the  seventieth  week  of  Daniel.*  To  make 
these  forty-two  months  1,260  years,  as  it,  has  been 
done  by  many  expositors,  is  a  mere  invention  and 
lacks  all  Scriptural  support.  These  1,260  days  are 
the  great  tribulation.  Then  Israel  apostate  will  be  in 
the  worst  condition,  demon-possessed  and  idolatrous 
(Matt.  xii:43-45).  Then  the  Gentiles  will  do  their 
final  devastation  of  Jerusalem  and  her  worst  history 
will  come  to  pass.  She  will  have  to  drink  the  cup  of 
the  Lord's  fury  to  the  very  dregs.  We  suggest  at  this  ^si^ 
point  a  careful  reading  of  Psalm  Ixxix  and  a  com-  v 
parison  with  this  eleventh  chapter.  It  is  the  prayer- 
of  the  godly  remnant.  On  the  measuring  see  also 
Zech.  ii. 

4.  The  Two  Witnesses.  Verses  3-6.  Much  has 
been  written  on  these  two  witnesses  which  will  then 
appear  in  Jerusalem.  The  historical  school  of  inter- 
pretation has  named  numerous  persons  and  companies 
of  people,  like  the  Waldenses  and  Albigenses,  who 
suffered  under  the  papal  persecutions.  These  claims 
we  need  not  to  investigate  for  they  are  disproven  by 
the  true  interpretation  of  the  book.  These  two 
witnesses  are  still  future.  Their  work  is  done  during 
the  great  tribulation.  Others  make  them  Enoch 
and  Elijah  and  others  think  they  will  be  Moses  and 
Elijah*  returned  in  person.  The  late  Alexander  Dowie 

*We  cannot  enlarge  upon  this  interesting  prophecy  so  abso- 
lutely necessary  for  an  understanding  of  this  part  of  Revelation. 
We  refer  the  reader  to  Appendix  I. 


70  THE  REVELATION 

and  others  before  him,  claimed  to  be  a  reincarnation 
of  Elijah,  the  prophet.  The  claims  of  course  were 
fanatical.  No  second  coming  of  Moses  is  anywhere 
promised  in  the  Word.  However,  something  is  said 
about  the  work  of  Elijah  (Mai.  iv:5-6).  But  the 
words  of  our  Lord  in  Matt.  xi:14,  speaking  of  John  the 
Baptist,  and  Matt.  xvii:12,  seem  to  make  it  clear  that 
no  literal  coming  of  the  same  Elijah,  who  went  into 
glory,  without  dying,  is  meant.  Yet  the  deeds  of  these 
two  witnesses  clearly  link  them  with  the  work  of  Moses 
and  Elijah.  We  take  it  then  that  these  two  witnesses 
represent  the  great  testimony  to  be  given  in  Jerusalem 
during  the  1,260  days  of  the  great  tribulation.  Per- 
haps the  leaders  will  be  two  great  instruments,  mani- 
festing the  spirit  of  Moses  and  Elijah,  endowed  with 
supernatural  power7^ut~a  larger  number  of  witnesses 
is  unquestionably  in  view  here.  They  maintain  in 
the  midst  of  the  Satanic  scenes  a  powerful  testimony 
for  God.  They  are  called  "olive  trees,"  because  the 
energy  and  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  rest  upon  them. 
See  and  compare  with  Zech.  iv.  Their  testimony, 
besides  witnessing  against  the  awful  corruption,  is  the 
Gospel  of  the  Kingdom  and  the  glorious  coming  of  the 
King.  The  judgments  through  them  are  their  cre- 
dentials. 

5.  The  Beast  and  the  Witnesses.  Verse  7.  In  verse 
2  the  period  of  the  great  tribulation  was  mentioned 
for  the  first  time  and  here  we  have  the  first 
mention  of  the  Beast.  Who  is  this  Beast  coming 
out  of  the  pit  of  the  _aJbyj5Sj  the  deep?  It  is 
the  revived  Roman  empire  with  the  little  horn,  seen 
by  Daniel  onttleTbur-horned  beast  (Dan.  vii).  While 


THE  REVELATION  71 

he  domineers  over  the  Gentiles,  he  will  turn  in  fury 
against  these  Jewish  Saints,  and  the  two  witnesses 
will  be  slain.  He  makes  war  with  the  godly  remnant.1 
(Dan.  vii:21).  A  part  of  that  remnant  will  be  killed. 
Then  the  company  of  martyrs  mentioned  in  vi:ll  will 
be  gathered.  This  is  more  fully  described  in  chapter 
xiii.  Here  we  look  at  it  and  the  outcome  in  a  general 
way. 

6.  The    Treatment   of  the   Slain    Witnesses.     Verses 
8-10.     See    again   Psalm   lxxix:l-3.     The   vileness   of 
these  coming  days  of  Satan's  rule  on  earth  are  seen 
in  the  treatment  of  the  bodies  of  Jehovah's  servants. 
The  wicked  are  so  elated  over  the  silencing  of  the 
testimony  that  they  refuse  to  permit  their  burial  so 
that  they  may  feast  their  eyes  upon  the  sickening 
spectacle.     They  rejoice  and  make  it  a  festive  occa- 
sion, because  torment  had  come  to  their  consciences 
through   the  testimony  of  the  slain.     Gentiles,   who 
side  with  apostate  Israel  are  mentioned,  but  especially 
a  class  which  is  called  "they  that  dwell  on  the  earth" 
rejoices  over  the  end  of  the  witnesses.     The  same  class 
is  mentioned  several  times.     Study  the  passages  where  v 
they  are  mentioned:     Chapters  iii:10;  vi:9,  10;  viii:13;  \ 
xi:9,  10;  xiii:8;  xiv:6,  7;  xvii:8.     Who  are  they?    They 
are  the  apostate,  nominal  Christians  who  are  utterly 
blinded    and    hardened.     Phil.    iii:18-19    gives    their  / 
character  and  destiny. 

7.  Their  Public  Vindication.     Verses  11-12.     God's 
power  is  manifested  in  their  physical  resurrection  and 
their  visible  translation.     Their  enemies  see    a    great 
miracle.   The  apostates  who  ridicule  even  now  a  physi- 
cal resurrection,  who  sneer  at  the  blessed  Hope  of  a 


72  THE  REVELATION 

coming  translation  of  the  Saints,  will  witness  these  two 
great  facts.  No  wonder  that  a  great  fear  fell  upon 
them.  The  raised  company  belongs  to  the  first  resur- 
rection (xx:4). 

8.  The    Great    Earthquake.       Verses    13—14.     The 
terror  becomes  still  greater  when  the  whole  city  is 
shaken  by  a  mighty  earthquake.     This  is  not  a  sym- 
bolical  earthquake   but   a   convulsion   of   nature   by 
which  the  fourth  part  of  the  city  falls  and  7,000  men 
are  killed.     It  marks  the  end  of  the  second  woe.     Then 
those  who  escaped  the  visitation  gave  glory  unto  God 
of  heaven.     It  is  only  inspired  by  fear.    They  do  not 
turn  in  repentance  unto  God.     Here  ends  the  paren- 
thetical vision. 

9.  The  Seventh   Trumpet.     The  Third  Woe.     Verses 
15-18.    That  the  seventh  trumpet  brings  us  to  the  very 
end  of  the  tribulation  and  the  beginning,  of  the  mil- 
lennial  reign  does  not  need  any  further  argument.     It 
is  Jerusalem's  deliverance.     He  who  alone  is  worthy 
receives  the  Kingdom.     How  clear  this  ought  to  make 
the  fact  that  our  Lord  has  no  Kingdom  now,  but  He 
receives  the  promised  Kingdom  on  the  earth  at  the 
end    of    these    things.     See     Dan.    vii:14.     Heaven 
worships  too;   they  celebrate   the  fact  that  He  has 
taken  His  great  power.     It  is  a  review  of  all  that 
takes  place  and  what  follows  when  He  appears  out 

/of  heaven.    The  nations  were  full  of  wrath   (Ps.  ii; 

/  xlvi:6);  His  wrath  is  come;  resurrection  will  follow; 

this  points  to  the  time  after  the  kingdom   (chapter 

\    xx:12).     And    His    servants,    the  Prophets    and    the 

\  Saints,  receive  their  reward,  to  reign  with  Him. 


THE   REVELATION  '73 

FOURTH   DIVISION:   SATAN'S  POWER  AND 
SATAN'S  MASTERPIECE. 

Chapter  Xl:l9-XHl. 

What  follows  now  brings  the  great  tribulation,  the 
1,260  days,  into  prominence.  As  we  have  seen  the 
seventh  trumpet  takes  us  right  to  the  end.  But  now 
we  are  led  back. 

Chapter  XI.  1.  The  Fision  of  the  Opened  Temple. 
Verse  19.  This  verse  belongs  properly  to  the  twelfth 
chapter.  The  Ark  speaks  of  the  covenant  made  with 
Israel.  This  is  now  to  be  remembered  and  connected 
with  it  are  the  manifestations  of  coming  wrath  for 
those  who  oppress  His  people.  God  is  now  taking 
up  the  interests  of  His  earthly  people  and  as  of  old 
the  Ark  is  the  token  of  His  presence  with  them  and 
the  coming  victory. 

Chapter  XII.  2.  The  Woman  With  Child.  Verses 
1-2.  Who  is  represented  by  the  Sun-clothed  woman? 
Romanists  have  made  out  of  her  the  Virgin  Mary. 
Many  expositors  claim  it  is  the  Church  which  is  repre- 
sented by  this  woman.  Some  claim  the  woman  is 
the  p rof ejsgingLChu rch  and  the  man-child  represents, 
according  to  their  view,  a  class  of  overcomers_  who 
will  escape  the  tribulation.  This  is  a  favored  inter- 
pretation of  some  of  the  so-called  "holiness  people/* 

In  the  light  of  the  scope  of  this  book  the  woman 
cannot  possibly  have  anything  to  do  with  the  Church. 
Again,  Christian  Science  has  made  the  most  absurd 
claim  that  this  woman  represents  the  instrument  of 
Satan,  the  deluded  woman,  whom  they  worship  as  the 
founder  of  their  cult.  A  hundred  years  ago  another 


74  THE  REVELATION 

sect  existed  in  England  under  the  leadership  of  a  woman, 
who  also  claimed  to  be  the  one  of  this  vision.  We 
do  not  need  to  seek  long  for  the  true  meaning  of  the 
woman  seen  by  John.  She  represents  Israel.*  Every- 
thing in  the  symbolical  statements  bear  this  out, 
especially  the  crown  with  the  twelve  stars  (Gen. 
xxxvii:9). 

"Thus  she  is  seen  clothed  with  the  glory  of  the  sun — 
that  is,  of  Christ  Himself  as  He  will  presently  appear 
in  supreme  power  as  Sun  of  Righteousness  (Mai.  iv:2); 
for  the  sun  is  the  ruler  of  the  day.  As  a  consequence, 
her  glory  of  old,  before  the  day-dawn,  the  reflected 
light  of  her  typical  system,  is  like  the  moon  under  her 
feet.  Upon  her  head  the  crown  of  twelve  stars  speaks 
aturally  of  her  twelve  tribes,  planets  now  around  the 
central  sun." 

It  is  Israel,  what  she  is  in  the  purposes  of  God. 
And  the  child,  the  nation  brought  forth,  is  the  Messiah, 
Christ.  Even  so  Paul  writes  of  Israel  "of  whom  as 
according  to  the  flesh  Christ  came,  who  is  over  all, 
God  blessed  forever"  (Rom.  ix:5).  The  identity  of 
the  child  is  established  beyond  controversy  by  the 
fact  that  the  child  is  caught  up  unto  God  and  His 
throne,  destined  to  rule  all  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron 
(Ps.  ii:9;  Rev.  ii:28).  The  great  red  Dragon,  the 
enemy  of  the  woman  and  the  child,  is  Satan.  Seven 
crowns  are  symbolical  of  his  authority  as  the  god  of 
this  age  and  the  ten  horns  symbolical  of  his  power. 
These  historical  facts  are  seen  first  through  this  vision. 
But  this  is  done  for  the  one  purpose  to  bring  into 

^Change  "wonder"  in  1  verse  to  "sign." 

€/        ~~  — 


THE   REVELATION  75 

view  what  is  yet  in  store  for  Israel  during  the  end  time. 
Christ  ascended  upon  high,  taking  the  place  at  the  right 
of  God,  waiting  till  His  enemies  are  made  His  footstool. 
Then  the  present  Christian  age  began.  It  is  not 
recorded  in  this  vision  at  all.  He  who  came  from 
Israel  and  who  was  rejected  by  His  own,  is  nevertheless 
Israel's  Messiah,  the  Hope  of  Israel.  In  Him  and 
through  Him  alone  the  promises  made  to  Israel  can  be 
fulfilled.  The  fulfillment  of  these  promises  is  preceded 
by  great  sorrows  and  tribulation,  the  travail  pains 
which  come  upon  Israel  during  the  great  tribulation, 
before  He,  whom  Israel  once  disowned,  is  revealed  as 
Deliverer  and  King.  And  the  red  Dragon  will  do  His 
most  awful  work  during  that  period  of  tribulation,  a 
work  of  hatred  against  the  faithful  seed  of  the  woman. 

3.  The    Escape    of    the    Woman.     Verse    6.    The 
flight  of  the  woman,  Israel,  has  been  taken  by  some 
to  mean  the  dispersion  of  that  nation  during  this  age 
and    Israel's    miraculous    preservation.     But    that    is 
incorrect.     It    is    true    Israel    has    been    miraculously 
preserved   and   Satan's   hatred  too  has  been   against 
that  nation.     But  here  we  have  a  special  period  men- 
tioned, the  1,260  days,  the  last  three  and  one  half  years 

f  Daniel's  .seventieth  week.  It  means  therefore 
that  when  the  Dragon  rises  in  all  his  furious  power  to 
exterminate  the  nation,  God  will  preserve  her.  How- 
ever, before  we  are  told  the  details  of  that  preservation 
and  Satan's  hatred,  we  .read  of  the  war  in  heaven. 
Satan  is  cast  out  of  heaven,  down  upon  the  earth. 
Verses  15-17  and  the  entire  chapter  xiii  will  tell  us 
what  he  will  do  on  the  earth. 

4.  War  in   Heaven  and  Satan  Cast  Out  of  Heaven. 


76  THE  REVELATION 

Verses  7-12.  This  great  scene  takes  place  before  the 
great  tribulation  begins.  Satan's  place  is  not  in  hell 
at  this  time.  As  we  saw  in  the  message  to  Pergamos 
his  throne  is  on  earth,  he  is  the  god  of  this  age.  His 
dominion  is  the  air,  he  is  the  Prince  of  the  power  of 
the  air  (Eph.  ii:2).  Our  present  conflict  as  believers 
is  "against  principalities,  against  authorities,  against 
the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  against  the 
wicked  spirits  in  the  heavenlies"  (Eph.  vi:12).  Satan 
as  the  accuser  of  the  brethren  has  even  access  into  the 
presence  of  God.  The  scene  in  Job  i  and  ii  is  not  a 
poetical  invention,  but  presents  a  reality.  He  is 
still  the  accuser  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  our 
advocate.  When  the  Saints  are  brought  into  glory  they 
will  not  only  behold  the  Lord  Jesus  face  to  face,  but, 
we  believ^^atan,  that  great  fallen  Being,  may  also  be 
seen  by  the  Saints.  The  Lord  will  rebuke  him  (Zech. 
iii:2).  His  accusations  are  ended.  All  the  redeemed 
are  gathered  before  the  throne.  All  the  malice  and 
power  of  Satan  could  not  frustrate  the  purpose  of 
God.  His  Grace  and  Power  have  been  victorious. 
Thus  when  the  Saints  come  into  the  heavenly  possession 
Satan's  dominion  there  is  at  an  end.  The  purchased 
possession,  the  region  above,  will  be  redeemed  by  the 
power  of  God  (Eph.  i:13).  Michael  and  his  angels 
will  begin  their  short  and  decisive  war  against  Satan 
and  his  angels.  .Michael  is  the  one  archangel  men- 
tioned in  Scripture.  It  is  not  the  first  time  he  met 
Satan  face  to  face.  (Jude  9).  And  Daniel  speaks  of 
Michael,  "And  at  that  time  shall  Michael  stand  up, 
the  great  prince  which  standeth  for  the  children  of 
thy  people;  and  there  shall  be  a  time  of  trouble,  such 


THE  REVELATION  77 

as  never  was  since  there  was  a  nation  even  to  that 
same  time;  and  at  that  time  thy  people  shall  be 
delivered,  every  one  that  shall  be  found  written  in 
the  book"  (Dan.  xii:l).  From  this  we  learn  that 
Michael  will  not  alone  cause  the  expulsion  of  Satan 
out  of  heaven,  but  he  will  also  stand  up  for  the  believ- 
ing portion  of  Israel. 

Satan  is  then  cast  out  into  the  earth  and  his  angels 
were  cast  out  with  him.  It  is  identical  with  what  we 
have  seen  already  under  the  fifth  trumpet,  the  star., 
fallen  out  of  heaven,  opening  the  pit  oi  the  abyss  with 
the  darkening  smoke  and  the  loCust*"§W3fnis  coming 
forth.  Then  there  is  joy  in  heaven  because  the  accuser 
is  cast  down  and  his  accusations  are  forever  silenced. 
And  the  "woe"  is  pronounced  upon  those  who  dwell 
on  the  earth. 

5.  The  Dragon  Persecuting  the  Woman.  Verses 
13—17.  He  turns  in  fury  against  the  woman  which 
brought  forth  the  man  child.  Satan  realizes  now 
that  his  time  is  short.  His  expulsion  from  heaven  will 
soon  be  followed  by  his  arrest  and  imprisonment  in 
the  pit  for  a  thousand  years,  and  after  that  there  is 
prepared  for  him  his  eternal  home  of  misery,  the  lake 
of  fire.  As  he  knows  that  Israel  is  mostly  con- 
cerned in  the  final  drama,  and  the  believing  portion 
of  that  nation  will  inherit  the  kingdom,  he  turns  in 
wrath  against  them.  Verse  6  should  be  connected 
with  verse  14.  It  is  symbolical  language  we  have  here 
again.  The  wilderness  is  a  place  of  isolation,  and 
the  place  prepared,  speaks  of  God's  care  for  them. 
But  it  is  not  the  entire  nation.  The  apostate  part 
sides  with  Satan  and  with  Satan's  man,  the  Anti- 


78  THE  REVELATION 

christ.  But  there  is  another  part,  which  is  preserved. 
This  part  is  in  the  place  of  isolation  among  the  nations. 
The  water  cast  out  by  Satan  is  symbolical  of  the 
hatred  which  Satan  stirs  up  against  the  people  amongst 
the  nations.  These  nations  like  Russia  and  others 
under  Satanic  control  will  persecute  them.  But 
there  will  be  other  agencies  in  the  earth  by  which  this 
Satanic  attempt  to  wipe  off  the  face  of  the  earth  this 
faithful  part  of  the  nation  will  be  frustrated.  These 
agencies  will  probably  be  those  nations  who  have 
believed  the  final  message,  the  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom. 
Satan  seeing  himself  defeated  turns  next  against  the 
godly  remnant  in  the  land  itself  (verse  17). 

Chapter  XIH.  The  Beast  Out  of  the  Sea.  Verses 
1-10.  This  chapter  brings  now  fully  into  view  the 
Satanic  powers  operating  during  the  great  tribulation 
— the  forty-two  months.  Satan's  masterpieces  are  on 
the  earth;  energized  by  him  and  endued  with  his 
powers  they  work  together  to  stamp  out  all  that  is 
left  of  the  truth  on  earth.  Their  combined  efforts 
are  directed  against  the  godly  remnant  of  Jews  and 
against  those  Gentiles  who  accepted  the  message  of 
the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom,  who  are  seen  in  the  seventh 
chapter  emerging  out  of  the  great  tribulation.  They 
are  called  Beasts.  The  first  is  the  revived  Roman 
^mpire,  which  has  over  it  a  mighty  leader.  A  careful 
stucTjT  of  Daniel's  prophecy  in  chapter  vii  is  here 
needed.  The  beast  which  John  sees  rising  out  of  the 
sea  is  the  Roman  empire.  This  Daniel  saw  as  a  great 
nondescript,  a  dreadful  beast  with  iron  teeth  and 
with  ten  horns.  And  John  also  sees  this  beast  having 


amalgi 

the    r 


THE  REVELATION  79 

ten  horns*  with  crowns  and  seven  heads  and  these 
heads  had  names  of  blasphemy.  Daniel  had  seen 
Babylonia,  Medo-Persia  and  Greco-Macedonia  under 
the  emblem  of  the  lion,  the  bear  and  the  leopard.  John 
sees  this  beast  here  like  a  leopard,  with  bear's  feet  and 
lion's  mouth.  This  revived  Roman  empire  is  an 
amalgamation  of  parts  of  the  previous  world  empires. 
preceding  ones  are  absorbed  by  the  last,  the 
Roman  empire.  Therefore  the  revived  Roman  empire 
.  will  contain  the  different  elements  in  one  great  monster. 
This  Roman  empire  will  be  revived  politically  in  the  first 
part  of  the  final  seven  years.  We  saw  this  under  the 
first  seal.  'Here  in  the  beginning  of  the  forty-two 
months  the  Dragon  gives  to  him  his  power,  and  his 
throne  and  great  authority.  It  becomes  now  fully 
possessed  by  Satan.  The  ten  horns  are  the  ten  king- 
doms which  will  exist  in  that  empire.  We  are  told 
later  that  these  ten  kings  "have  one  mind  and  shall 
give  their  power  and  strength  unto  the  beast"  (xvii:13). 
In  the  same  chapter  the  beast  is  also  seen  coming  out 
of  the  abyss  (xvii:8)  denoting  its  Satanic  occupation. 
The  heads  represent  the  complete  government  which 
the  beast  has.  One  of  the  heads  is  especially  men- 
tioned; "latter  we  read  "he  is  the  eighth,  and  is  of  the 
seven,  and  goeth  into  perdition"  (xvii:ll).  It  was 
as  it  were  wounded  to  death,  and  his  deadly  wound 
was  healed,  and  all  the  world  wondered  after  the 
beast.  This  head  denotes  the  imperial  form  of  govern- 
ment, which  had  died,  and  now  is  revived  in  the  person 


The  correct  reading  as  given  in  the  Revised  Version  is  to  put 
the  horns  first  and  the  seven  heads  in  the  second  place. 


80  THE  REVELATION 


of  the  leader,  the  Prince  of  Daniel  ix:27,  the  little 
horn,  which  Daniel  saw  in  the  midst  of  the  ten  horns. 
This  will  be  Satan's  man,  one  of  his  masterpieces.  The 
whole  earth  will  wonder  after  that  beast  and  its  Satan 
possessed  head. 

"The  Beast  will  represent  a  picture  hitherto  unknown 
and  unseen — one  unexampled  in  the  history  of  the 
race.  A  human  power  endowed  with  Satanic  energy — 
openly  defying  God,  and  invested  with  the  royal 
power  and  world-wide  authority  of  Satan  will  engage 
the  rapt  gaze  of  the  whole  earth.  It  will  marvel  at 
the  sight.  We  see  no  reason  to  limit  the  phrase  'the 
whole  earth.'  The  revival  of  the  empire  must  be  a 
matter  "ofmterest  to  all  embraced  within  its  range  and 
influence.  The  authority  of  the  dragon,  and  his 
far-reaching  influence  go  far  beyond  the  geographical 
limits  of  the  ten  kingdoms.  The  Beast  to  whom  he 
delegates  his  authority,  exercises  a  commanding 
influence  all  over  the  earth — reaching  even  to  the 
limits  of  heathendom."* 

Then  when  the  head  of  the  Beast  has  his  Satanic 
power,  the  Dragon  and  the  Beast  are  worshipped  and 
for  the  forty-two  months  he  blasphemes  and  makes 
war  with  the  Saints  and  overcomes  them  (the  Jewish 
Saints).  And  he  had  power  over  all  kindreds  and 
tongues  and  nations.  It  is  interesting  to  see  that 
Daniel  and  Revelation  agree  perfectly  in  this  matter. 
There  is  only  this  difference,  Daniel  describes  mostly 
the  head  of  the  revived  Roman  empire,  the  little 

*W.  Scott. 


THE  REVELATION  81 

horn;    John  sees  the    empire  as  such.     We  quote  the 
following  from  our  book  on  Daniel. 

Daniel  Revelation 

Daniel  saw  the  fourth  beast,  John    beholds    a    beast    out 

a  great  nondescript,  with  ten  of    the    sea,    with    ten    horns 

horns.  crowned  (ten  kings)  and  seven 

The   little   horn   "had   eyes  heads. 

and  a  mouth  that  spake  very  To    the   Beast    "was    given 

great  things."  a  mouth  speaking  great  things 

The  little  horn:     "He  shall  and  blasphemies." 

speak  words  against  the  Most  The  Beast:     "He  opened  his 

High."  mouth    in    blasphemy    against 

The  little  horn:     "He  shall  God." 

wear  out  the  Saints  of  the  Most  The    Beast:     "And    it    was 

High."  given    to    him    to    make    war 

The    little    horn's    time    of  with   the  Saints   and  to  over- 
domineering  power  is  "a  time  come  them." 
and    times    and    dividing    of  The    Beast    has    power    for 
times."  42  month  (Zl/2  years). 

"We  see  from  this  parallel  that  the  same  things 
are  said  of  the  Beast  in  Revelation  xiii  which  are 
said  of  the  little  horn.  They  must  therefore  be 
identical.  But  how  can  we  harmonize  this  if  Reve- 
lation xiii,  the  Beast  out  of  the  sea,  means  the  resur- 
rected Roman  empire?  There  lived  a  French  King, 
Louis  XIV,  and  in  a  famous  speech  he  made  the 
declaration  '  I  am  France.'  The  little  horn  will 
possess  such  dommeerrng~~"powers,  given  to  him  by 
Satan,  that  he  too  can  say  'I  am  the  empire.^  He 
will  control  the  entire  political  sphere  of  the  em- 
pire and  thus  gives  to  it  his  own  Satanic  God-defy- 
ing character.  In  Daniel  we  see  the  same  lesson, 
only  in  another  setting." 

7.   The    Beast    Out    of   the    Earth.     Verses    11-18. 


82  THE  REVELATION 

The  second  Beast  is  not  an  empire  with  a  great  leader, 
but  a  person.  The  first  Beast  is  out  of  the  sea;  the 
second  out  of  the  earth  (land).  The  first  has  ten 
horns;  the  second  has  two.  The  Beast  out  of  the 
sea  comes  first;  the  other  Beast  follows  him.  The 
first  Beast  is  a  political  powej;;  the  second  is  a  religious 
leader.  The  first  is  a  Gentile  power  and  its"  "head 
a  Gentile;  the  second  is1~a~Jew.  The  first  Beast  has 


' 

\    Satanic  power;    so  has  the  second  Beast.     The  second 

Beast  induces  the  worship  of  the  first  Beast  whose 
dominion  is  over  the  entire  Roman  world  and  after 
whom  the  whole  earth  wonders;  the  sphere  of  the 
second  Beast  is  Palestine.  The  first  Beast  through 
its  head  makes  in  the  beginning  of  the  seven  years  a 
covenant  with  many  of  the  Jews,  but  in  the  middle  of 
the  week  he  breaks  that  covenant  (Daniel  iz:27). 
That  covenant  will  be  probably  the  permission  given 
to  the  Jews  to  build  a  temple  and  to  resume  their 
sacrificial  worship.  But  when  the  little  horn,  the 
prince,  becomes  energized  by  Satan,  he  breaks  that 
covenant.  Then  this  other  Beast  appears  upon  the 
scene  and  demands  the  worship  of  the  first  beast 
as  well  as  the  worship  of  himself.  This  second 
Beast  is  the  final,  personal  Anti-christ.  He  has  two 
horns  like  a  lamb,  and  speaks  like  a  dragon.  He  is  a 
counterfeit  lamb  and  his  two  horns  are  an  imitation 
o^hcjoricstlyand  kingly  authority  of  Christ.  He  is 
the  one  of  whose  coming  our  Juora  spoke  (John  v:43). 
He  is  the  man  of  sin,  the  son  of  perdition  described  by 
Paul  in  %  Thess.  ii.  He  must  be  a  Jew  for  his  claims 
of  being  Israel's  true  Messiah  would  not  be  accepted 
by  the  Jews.  The  view  that  it  will  be  Judas  Iscariot 


THE  REVELATION  83 

raised  from  the  dead  is  a  fanciful  speculation.  Daniel 
also  gives  an  interesting  prophetic  picture  which 
bears  out  his  Jewish  character  and  his  wicked,  satanic 
ways.  See  Daniel  xi:36-39.*  This  second  Beast  is 
also  called  the  false  Prophet  (xvi:13;  xix:20;  xx:10). 
He  does  lying  wonders.  He  reigns  as  the  false  king  in 
Jerusalem  and  sits  as  god  in  the  temple.  He  will  be 
both,  the  religious"  head  of  apostate  Judaism  and 
apostate  Christendom.  It  is  the  strong  delusion  of  the 
second  chapter  01  second  Thessalonians.  And  he  also 
demands  the  worship  of  the  first  Beast.  He  makes 
an  image  of  the  firstJSeast  and  gives  breath  to  it, 
so  that  it  can  speak.  Compare  with  the  image  which 
Nebuchadnezzar  set  up  (Daniel  iii).  This  image  will 
most  likely  be  put  up  outside  of  the  land  of  Palestine, 
perhaps  in  Rome,  and  in  this  way  the  Beast  will  be 
worshipped.  The  most  terrible  persecution  is  con- 
nected with  this  idol-worship.  The  most  awful 
tyranny  exists  then,  for  all  commerce  is  controlled  by 
the  Beast.  Whosoever  has  not  the  mark  of  the 
Beast  on  hand  and  forehead  cannot  buy  nor  sell,  and 
whosoever  does  not  worship  the  Beast  will  be  killed. 
And  those  who  worship  the  Beast  and  receive  the 
mark  are  lost  souls.  Great  will  be  the  number  of 
martyrs  at  that  time.  To  find  out  what  the  mark  is 
and  some  of  the  other  details  would  only  be  guess-work. 
No  one  can  imagine  the  horrors  of  that  time  when 
Satan  rules  for  a  short  time  on  earth  and  produces  the 
great  tribulation,  such  as  was  not  before  on  earth,  nor 

*Others  apply  this  passage  to  the  little  horn  of  Daniel  vii. 
A  careful  comparison  between  Daniel  vii  and  xi:36-39  will 
show  that  they  are  two  different  persons. 


£K. 

•^X^  *te_ 


84  THE  REVELATION 

ever  can  be  again.  May  we  praise  Him  for  His 
infinite  Grace  which  saves  us  from  that  hour  and  may 
we  reach  out  for  those  who,without  Christ  and  without 
hope,  are  the  subjects  of  this  coming  doom  and  eternal 
misery  besides. 

But  what  does  the  number  666  mean?  If  we  were 
to  state  all  the  different  views  on  this  number  and 
the  different  applications  we  would  have  to  fill  many 
pages  and  then  we  would  not  know  what  is  right  and 
wrong.  Seven  is  the  complete  perfect  number;  six 
is  incomplete  and  is  man's  number.  Here  we  have 
three  times  six.  it  is  humanity  fallen,  filled  with 
pricjle,  defying  God.  The  number  666  signifies  man's 
day  and  man  s  defiance  of  God  under  Satan's  power 
in  its  culmination. 

FIFTH    DIVISION.     THE    POWER    OF   GOD   IN    INTER- 
VENTION.   GRACE  AND  JUDGMENT  MANIFESTED. 
Chapter  XIV. 

1.  The  Lamb  Upon  Zion  and  the  144,000.  Verses 
1-5.  A  series  of  blessed  visions  follow  the  darkest 
chapter  in  the  Book  of  Revelation.  The  awful  con- 
ditions under  the  domineering  power  of  the  two 
Beasts  are  going  to  be  changed.  The  Lord  will  answer 
the  prayers  of  the  persecuted  Jewish  people  and 
deliver  them  by  His  personal  coming  out  of  the  opened 
heaven.  This  glorious  manifestation  is  fully  revealed 
in  the  nineteenth  chapter.  Here  it  is  anticipated. 
There  is  much  said  about  this  intervention  in  behalf 
of  the  suffering  godly  remnant  in  the  Old  Testament. 
As  an  illustration  we  call  attention  to  Psalms  xliv  and 


THE   REVELATION  85 

xlv.  In  the  forty-fourth  Psalm  we  find  a  description 
of  their  suffering  and  the  cry  to  heaven  "Arise  for  our 
help,  and  redeem  us  for  thy  mercies  sake."  In  the 
forty -fifth  Psalm  the  answer  to  this  prayer  is  recorded. 
The  King  riding  in  majesty,  dealing  with  His  enemies, 
surrounded  by  redeemed  companies  is  beheld  in  that 
Psalm.  The  entire  Book  of  Psalms  should  be  studied 
from  the  viewpoint  of  prophecy;  it  will  shed  much 
light  upon  these  events  of  this  portion  of  Revelation. 
But  who  are  the  144,000  standing  with  the  Lamb 
upon  Mount  Zion,  having  His  Name*  and  His  Father's 
Name  written  on  their  foreheads?  In  the  previous 
chapter  we  saw  a  company  on  earth  who  have  the 
mark  of  the  Beast  on  their  foreheads;  but  here  is  a 
company  who  have  His  Name  and  the  Father's  Name 
on  the  forehead.  A  good  many  have  made  of  this 
company  a  portion  of  the  Church,  a  first  fruits,  who, 
according  to  this  theory,  have  lived  separated  lives 
and  are  caught  up  into  heaven,  while  the  other  believers, 
who  did  not  live  as  near  to  God  as  they  did,  will  have 
to  suffer  in  the  great  tribulation.  The  reader  who 
has  followed  the  unfolding  of  this  book  will  see  at 
once  that  such  an  interpretation  is  impossible.  These 
144,000  have  nothing  to  do  whatever  with  the  Church. 
The  Elders  are  mentioned  in  verse  3  and  as  distinct 
from  the  144,000,  and,  as  we  saw,  the  twenty-four 
Elders  include  and  represent  the  Church.  The  144,000 
are  the  same  company  which  was  sealed  in  chapter 
vii,  but  they  also  include  the  distinctly  Jewish  remnant 


*This    has    been    unfortunately    omitted    in    the    Authorised 
Version. 


86  THE  REVELATION 

which  suffered  more  specifically  in  Palestine.  The 
number  144,000  being  symbolical  and  not  actual 
permits  such  an  interpretation.  In  one  word  they 
represent  the  "all  Israel"  saved  by  the  coming  of  the 
deliverer  out  of  Zion  (Rom.  xi:26).  They  passed 
through  the  great  tribulation  and  are  seen  as  redeemed 
from  the  earth.  And  then  there  is  heard  the  voice  of 
harpers,  making  sweet  music  with  their  harps.  They 
sing  a  new  song  (not  as  it  were)  before  the  throne  and 
before  the  living  creatures  and  the  Elders.  And  the 
144,000  learn  to  sing  this  new  song.  Who  then  are 
the  harpers?  They  are  the  martyred  company  seen 
in  connection  with  the  fifth  seal  and  they  also  include 
now  their  brethren  which  were  slain  during  the  great 
tribulation.  The  characteristics  of  the  144,000  are 
next  given.  Verse  4  must  not  be  interpreted  in  a 
literal  sense.  Those  who  apply  it  to  a  first  fruits  of 
the  Church  have  done  so  and  it  has  led  to  much  con- 
fusion and  even  worse  things.  Literal  impurity  is 
not  in  view.  If  it  had  a  literal  meaning  this  com- 
pany would  consist  of  men  only.  The  woman,  the 
great  harlot  Babylon  and  her  daughters,  the  God-less 
and  Christ-less  religious  world-systems  (chapter  XVH, 
are  then  on  the  earth.  They  did  not  defile  themselves 
with  the  corruptions  and  idolatries  prevalent  on  the 
earth.  They  kept  themselves  from  spiritual  fornica- 

^MM^M^^^^* 

tion.  They  are  the  firstfruits  and  the  earnest  of  the 
blessings  soon  in  store  for  the  earth.*  They  were 


"The  term  firstfruits  is  also  applied  to  true  believers  consti- 
tuting the  Church  (Rom.  viii:23;  1  Cor.  xv:20-22;  James  i:18). 
We  are  the  nrstfruits,  the  earnest  of  the  coming  blessing  for 
Israel  and  the  nations.  If  the  faithful  remnant  of  Israel  keeps 


THE   REVELATION  S7 

devoted  to  the  Lamb  and  no  lie  (not  guile)  was  in  their 
mouth.  The  lie  and  delusion  of  the  end-time  were 
utterly  repudiated  by  them. 

2.  The  Proclamation  of  the  Everlasting  Gospel. 
Verses  6—7.  This  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  preaching 
of  the  Gospel  during  this  church-age.  The  Angel 
must  not  be  taken  as  a  literal  angel.  The  preaching 
of  any  Gospel  to  those  who  dwell  on  earth  is  never 
committed  to  angels,  but  to  men.  This  is  true  of 
the  Gospel  of  Grace  which  redeemed  sinners  are  privi- 
leged to  proclaim  during  this  age,  and  of  the  ever- 
lasting Gospel  during  the  end  of  the  age.  The 
Gospel  preached  is  the  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom  and  the 
preachers  are  this  faithful  remnant  of  God's  earthly 
people.  Nothing  of  this  preaching  was  said  in  Chapter 
vii,  though  the  result,  the  gathered  multitude  coming 
out  of  the  great  tribulation  is  seen  there.  But  here, 
where  the  moral  and  spiritual  characteristics  of  the 
remnant  of  Israel  is  seen,  their  testimony  also  comes 
into  view.  What  this  everlasting  Gospel  is  we  need 
not  to  explain  for  verse  7  gives  us  the  information. 
It  is  everlasting  because  it  concerns  the  Creator  as  the 
only  object  of  worship.  And  it  will  sound  the  loudest 
and  go  forth  in  no  uncertain  sound  at  the  time  when 
pandemonium  reigns  on  earth,  and  heaven  is  about  to 
open  to  manifest  the  King  of  Glory.  How  great  is 
God's  mercy!  And  the  nations  who  hear  and  turn 
to  God  will  enter  the  coming  Kingdom.  Read  in 
connection  with  verses  6  and  7  Psalm  xcvi.  It  will 


itself  undefiled  from  the  religious  corruption  of  the  end-time, 
how  much  more  should  we  keep  ourselves  as  a  separated  people 
(2  Cor.  vi:14;  2  Tim.  ii:20-21). 


88  THE  REVELATION 

give  you  a  great  deal  of  light  on  this  portion  of  Revela- 
tion. 

3.  Babylon  has  Fallen.      Verse  8.     This  is  an  antici- 
pative  announcement  of  what  will  also  happen  as  the 
great  tribulation  nears  its  close.     The  particulars  are 
not  given  here.     These  and  what  Babylon  is  and  how 
Babylon  the  great  (city  must  be  omitted  in  this  verse) 
falls,  we  shall   find  in  Chapters  xvii  and  xviii.     God's 
intervention    in   judgment   upon   the   great   whore    is 
simply  mentioned  here. 

4.  The  Eternal  Wrath  for  the  Worshippers  of  the  Beast. 
Verses  9-11.     Here  we  have  a  third  angelic  announce- 
ment.    It    concerns    the    worshippers    of    the    Beast. 
They  drink  of  the  wrath  of  God.     It  is  "without  mix- 
ture," that  is,  no  mercy  is  found  in  the  cup  of  His 
indignation.     It  serves  as  a  solemn  warning.     Babylon 
falls  prior  to  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  King,  and 
the  Beast  will  afterward  manifest  his  power  as  never 
before.     Therefore,  the  warning  concerning  the  inevit- 
able fate  of  those  who  worship  the  Beast  and  take  its 
mark.     The  warning  cannot  be  twisted,  though  men 
like   "Pastor"   Russell   and   other  deceiving   teachers 
attempt  it.     It  is   Satan's   deception   this   increasing 
denial  of  the  solemn  truth  of  an  everlasting,  conscious 
and    awful    punishmnet    of    the    wicked.     By    these 
denials,  Satan  prepares  gradually,  but  surely,  for  the 
final  great  apostasy.     "The  smoke  of  their  torment 
ascendeth  forever  and  ever."    There  is  no  end  to  it. 
Unsaved  reader!     Be  warned  and  accept  Christ. 

5.  The  Blessed  Dead  Who  Die  in  the  Lord.     Verses 
12-13.     It  is  a  voice  which  proclaims  this.     It  has 
nothing  to  do  with  those  who  die  in  the  Lord  now. 


THE   REVELATION  89 

Certainty  all  our  loved  ones  who  fell  asleep  in  Jesus 
are  blessed.  They  are  absent  from  the  body  and 
consciously  present  with  the  Lord.  But  here  is  the 
comfort  for  those  who  faithfully  resist  the  worship 
of  the  Beast,  who  refuse  to  take  the  mark.  They 
become  martyrs.  The  Book  of  Revelation  will  be 
read  and  studied  during  the  great  tribulation.  Satan  I 
through  the  Beasts,  will  try  to  annihilate  it  and  the  rest  / 
of  the  Bible.  But  it  will  be  a  failure  as  all  former/ 
attempts  to  get  the  Bible  out  of  the  world  have  failecj. 
Here  then,  is  first  the  warning.  If  they  worship  the 
Beast  they  will  be  lost  forever.  Then  there  is  the 
alternative  to  resist  the  Beast  and  be  killed  as  to  the 
body,  but  die  in  the  Lord.  "From  henceforth"  means 
during  the  tribulation  when  the  great  persecution 
goes  on. 

6.  The  Harvest  and  the  Mintage.  Verses  14-20. 
This  brings  now  the  Coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  with 
judgment  power  into  view.  The  harvest  and  the 
vintage  have  come.  The  sickle  is  put  in.  The 
reapers  used  will  be  angels  (Matt.  xiii:39).  The  day 
of  vengeance  has  come.  Read  Isaiah  lxiii:l-6;  Joel  iii; 
Zechariah  xii-xiv.  This  will  greatly  help  in  a  better 
understanding  of  the  harvest  and  the  vintage.  The 
nations  and  their  armies  will  be  in  the  land;  the  As- 
syrian from  the  North,  foreshadowed  by  the  wicked 
work  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes  (Dan.  viii)  will  do  its 
awful  work;  the  false  prophet,  the  second  Beast  is  in 
Jerusalem.  But  then  the  judgment  clouds  break. 
The  battle  of  Armageddon  comes  into  view  for  the 
first  time  in  verse  20.  How  we  ought  to  praise  Him 
that  His  infinite  grace  has  separated  us  from  these 


90  THE   REVELATION 

awful  executions  of  vengeance  and  wrath.     His  people 
will  be  home  when  all  things  come  to  pass. 

SIXTH  DIVISION:  THE  SEVEN  ANGELS   HAVING   THE 
SEVEN  PLAGUES.    THE  VIALS  OF  WRATH. 

Chapters  XV-XVI. 

Chapter  XV.  1.  The  Seven  Angels  with  the  Seven 
Plagues.  Verse  1.  And  now  the  last  seven  angels 
appear.  Seven  seal  judgments  first,  followed  by  seven 
angels  with  trumpets  and  next  the  last  seven  angels. 
With  these  seven  angels  who  have  the  seven  last 
plagues  for  the  world,  the  wrath  of  God  is  completed. 
These  great  final  manifestations  of  the  wrath  of  God 
upon  an  apostate  world  are  therefore  conclusive. 
What  wonderful  order  prevails  in  this  book!  What 
unfoldings  of  the  future!  What  harmony  with  the 
previous  portions  of  God's  Word!  Surely  a  human 
mind — a  genius — could  never  have  put  these  things 
together  in  this  manner.  It  is  revelation. 

2.  Another  Scene  of  Worship.     Verses  2-4.     Before 
these  angels  go  forth  we  behold  another  worship  scene. 
Who  are  they?     Not  the  twenty-four  Elders,  but  they 
are  the  harpers  which  we  saw  harping  and  singing  in 
Chapter  xiv:2-3.     They  are  the  martyred  company 
worshipping  in  glory.     Here  we  are  told  of  their  victory 
and  their  song,  the  song  of  Moses  and  of  the  Lamb. 
The  song  of  Moses  (Exod.  xv)  is  the  song  of  an  earthly 
deliverance  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb  concerns  a  spiritual 
deliverance.     They   are   redeemed  by   power  and   by 
blood. 

3.  The  Seven  Angels  Proceeding  out  of  the   Temple. 
Verses  5-8.     A  wonderful  sight  it  is.     There  is  again 


THE   REVELATION  91 

an  ominous  silence  similar  to  the  silence  in  connection 
with  the  opening  of  the  seventh  seal.  The  silence  is 
not  mentioned.  But  the  text  shows  an  impressive 
scene  of  silence.  Quietly  the  procession  of  these 
ministers  of  judgment  file  out  of  the  temple.  They 
are  clothed  in  pure,  white  linen;  this  is  symbolical 
of  the  righteousness  which  demands  the  judgment 
wrath  about  to  be  poured  out.  And  the  golden  girdles 
with  which  their  breasts  are  girded  speak  still  more 
of  divine  righteousness.  God  in  His  righteousness 
must  judge  and  now  His  wrath  in  completeness  is  about 
to  be  felt  on  the  earth.  The  angels  left  the  temple 
empty-handed,  but  the  four  living  creatures  give  into 
their  hands  the  bowls  full  of  the  wrath  of  God.  Then 
the  temple  was  filled  with  smoke,  not  the  smoke  from 
incense,  but  from  the  Glory  of  God.  And  behind  that 
smoke  is  the  fire  of  judgment.  He  is  hidden  in  the 
thick  darkness  of  His  Glory  (Exod.  xix:18;  Ps.  xviii:8; 
Isaiah  vi:4). 

Chapter  XVI.  4.  The  First  Vial.  Verses  1-2. 
The  great  voice  commands  the  seven  angels  to  go  on 
their  way  and  to  empty  the  bowls  upon  the  earth 
(Ps.  lxix:24).  And  these  vials  of  judgments  affect 
not  alone  the  Roman  empire,  but  the  entire  world, 
for  the  whole  world  is  guilty  before  God.  The  first 
vial  poured  out  produces  a  grievous  jsore  upon  the 
worshippers  of  the  Beast.  While  it  is  undoubtedly 
true  that  we  have  symbols  also  in  these  vial  judg- 
ments, it  is  nevertheless  possible  that  some  of  these 
plagues  may  have,  besides  the  symbolical,  also  a 
literal  meaning.  The  sixth  plague  which  came  upon 


92  THE   REVELATION 

Egypt,  the  first  judgment  upon  the  persons  of 
the  Egyptians,  was  also  a  sore  (Exod.  ix: 
10-11).  The  worshippers  of  the  Beast  and  of  the 
image  will  be  dreadfully  afflicted.  All  the  internal 
corruption  will  be  outwardly  manifested.  There  will 
be  connected  with  it  great  agony  and  suffering;  and  as 
a  sore  is  a  vile  thing  to  behold,  we  may  think  of  the 
great  vileness  connected  with  the  moral,  apostate 
conditions  in  the  earth,  which  God  will  permit  to  break 
out. 

5.  The  Second  Vial.     Verse  3.     This  is  poured  out 
into  the  sea.     The  sea  represents  the  Gentiles.     These 
will  now  experience  the  wrath  of  God.     See  the  plague 
in  Egypt  (Exod.  vii:17-25).     That  was  a  literal  thing; 
but  not  so  here.     Some  apply  it  to  the  continued  car- 
nage which  will  be  one  of  the  leading  features  of  the 
final  history  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles.    That  it 
presents  a  state  of  the  most  unspeakable  corruption 
and   spiritual  death  is  obvious.     How  little  we  can 

...  say  of  all  these  awful  scenes  of  wrath  coming  upon 
the  earth.  It  is  far  better  to  acknowledge  our  ignor- 
ance in  some  of  these  matters  than  to  indulge  in  fanci- 
ful speculations. 

6.  The    Third    Vial.     Verses    4-7.    Another    scene 
in    which    the    blood    is    prominent.    The   Apostates 
denied  the  blood,  sneered  at  it  as  the  Unitarians  and 

hristian  Scientists  do  in  our  own  days,  and  now  the 
angel  of  the  waters  saith,  "Thou  hast  given  them  blood 
to  drink,  for  they  are  worthy."  They  have  to  feel  the 
dreadful  results  of  having  rejected  the  Christ  of  God 
and  accepted  the  man  of  sin.  The  children  of  Israel 

•••••••^••••MM 

had  to  taste  their  own  idolatry  when  Moses  put  the 


THE   REVELATION  93 

ashes  of  the  burnt  golden  calf  in  the  water  and  made 
them  drink  it  (Exod.  xxxii:20).  They  have  to  taste 
the  vileness  and  bitterness  of  their  apostasy.  They 
reap  what  they  sow.  All  the  joys  of  life  typified  by 
rivers  and  fountains  of  water,  are  poisoned  and  cor- 
rupted. It  is  a  retributive  judgment  of  God  falling 
then  upon  the  earth. 

7.  The  Fourth   Vial.     Verses  8-9.     The  fourth  vial 
is  poured   into    the  sun  and   men   are   scorched  with 
great    heat.     Some  also   apply  this  literally,  but   the 
symbolical  meaning  is  to  be  preferred.     There  can  be 
no   doubt   but   the   powers   of   nature   will    also   bear 
witness   to    the    wrath   of   God.     Famines,    droughts, 
great  floods,   volcanic   disturbances,   great   and  wide- 
spread   earthquakes    and    other    physical    phenomena 
will  occur  throughout  these  days  of  tribulation.     How- 
ever, the  sun  here  is  not  the  physical  sun,  but  means, 
as  under  the  fourth  trumpet,  the  supreme  authority 
governing    them    (the    Roman     empire).     Under   the 
fourth    trumpet    great   moral    darkness    came    upon 
all;    here    it    is  fearful,    fiery  agony    "scorched    with 
great    heat."     The    government,    Satan-ruled    as    it 
is,    becomes    now    the    source    of    the    most     awful 
torment    to    those    who    are     under    its     dominion. 
God,  in  judgment  and  in  His  wrath,  permits  those 
terrible   things   to   come   to   pass.     Everything  under 
these  vial    judgments  will  become  more    aggravated 
than  under  the  trumpet  judgment.     And  what  will 
those  do  who  are  drinking  the  cup  of  wrath?    They 
do  not  repent,  but  blaspheme.     What  an  evidence  of 
their  hopeless  condition! 

8.  The  Fifth  Vial.     Verses  10-11.     Under  the  fifth 


94  THE  REVELATION 

trumpet  we  saw  the  star  fallen  from  heaven.  It 
synchronizes  with  chapter  xii:7-12 — Satan  cast  out  of 
heaven.  Then  Satan  fallen  from  heaven  gave  his 
power  and  authority  to  the  Beast,  the  head  of  the 
empire.  Here  the  throne  (not.  seat)  of  the  Beast 
is  dealt  with.  His  throne  and  his  kingdom  is  deluged 
with  wrath.  All.  becomes  darkness.*  The  boast  had 
been  "Who  is  like  unto  the  Beast?  Who  is  able  to 
make  war  with  him?"  (xiii:4).  Here  God  answers  this 
boast  with  wrath.  Then  they  begin  to  gnaw  their 
tongues  with  pain.  However,  it  is  not  yet  the  com- 
plete judgment  of  the  two  Beasts.  That  comes  later. 
9.  The  Sixth  Vial.  Verse  12.  Once  more  the  river 
Euphrates  is  mentioned.  It  dries  up  when  the 
sixth  bowl  is  poured  out  so  that  the  way  of  the  kings 
of  the  East  (literal:  from  the  rising  of  the  sun)  might 
be  prepared.  We  have  hinted  before  at  the  corres- 
pondence between  the  trumpet  judgments  and  the 
pouring  out  of  the  vials.  This  becomes  now  very 
marked  for  under  the  sixth  trumpet  the  river  Euphrates 
is  also  mentioned.  There  the  forces  which  keep 
back  hostile  powers  are  removed  and  here  the  river  is 
dried  up.  The  historical  interpretation  is  respon- 
sible for  the  theory  that  the  Euphrates  is  Turkey. 
But  is  there  anything  in  Revelation  which  would 
warrant  the  interpretation  that  this  river  means 
Turkey?  We  know  nothing  whatever.  If  the  Euph- 
rates really  meant  the  Turkish  power  then  the  drying 
up  of  the  river  has  been  going  on  for  a  number  of 
decades.  But  here  it  is  not  a  gradual  thing  but  a 


"See  the  judgment  plague  upon  Egypt  (Exod.  x:21-23). 


THE  REVELATION  95 

sudden  event.  Nor  does  this  event  take  place  as 
long  as  the  true  Church  is  here,  but  after  the  Church  is 
removed.  As  already  stated  the  Euphrates  was  the 
boundary  of  the  Roman  empire  and  the  land  of  Israel. 
It  is  a  kind  of  barrier  which  separates  the  West  from 
the  East.  This  barrier  symbolized  by  the  river 
Euphrates  is  now  completely  removed,  so  that  the 
kings  from  the  sunrise  can  invade  the  land.  This 
invasion  is  also  seen  in  connection  with  the  sixth 
trumpet.  The  nations  must  gather  from  all  quarters 
in  and  about  Palestine.  We  find  much  of  this  revealed 
in  the  Old  Testament  and  it  would  be  strange  if  the 
Revelation  were  silent  on  so  important  an  event. 
Ezekiel  describes  a  great  invader,  a  confederacy  of 
nations  (Ezek.  xxxviii  and  xxxix).  Gpj*,  Magog,  the 
Prince  of  Rosh*  (Russia),  M,eshech,  Tub^aT,  Persia, 
Cush  and  Put  are  mentioned  as  forming  this  confeder- 
acy. The  term  "Kings  of  the  sunrise"  may  even  mean 
the  far  Eastern  Asiatic  nations,  like  China  and  Japan. 
We  hear  much  of  "the  yellow  peril"  in"our  day.  Certa 
statesmen  predict  that  ultimately  Russij^  will  form  an 
alliance  with  Japan,  and,  as  one  expressed  it  "then  let 
Europe  tremble."  The  drying  up  of  the  Euphrates 
seems  therefore  to  mean  the  removal  of  the  barrier, 
so  that  the  predicted  gathering  of  the  nations  may 
take  place  (Joel  iii:2).  What  began  under  the  sixth 
trumpet  is  consummated  when  the  sixth  vial  is  poured 
out.  It  is  an  act  of  judgment-wrath,  while  at  the  same 
time  these  opposing  nations  are  gathering  for  the 
great  day  of  God  Almighty. 


"This  is  the  correct  translation  of  "chief  prince." 


96  THE   REVELATION 

Between  the  Sixth  and  Seventh  Vial.  A  Parenthetical 
Vision.  Verses  13-16.  Just  as  we  had  a  parenthetical 
vision  between  the  sixth  and  seventh  seal,  and  between 
the  sixth  and  seventh  trumpet,  so  we  find  here  a  very 
brief  one  between  the  sixth  and  seventh  vial  judgment. 
Armageddon  is  not  yet,  but  it  comes  now  in  view. 
Unclean  spirits,  like  frogs,  creatures  of  the  slimy,  evil- 
smelling  swamps  and  of  the  night,  now  proceed  out 
of  the  mouth  of  the  trinity  of  evil.  The  Dragon  is 
Satan;  the  Beast  the  political  head  of  the  empire 
and  the  false  Prophet,  the  Anti-christ.  Satanic 
influences,  emanating  from  him  and  his  two  master- 
pieces are  then  at  work;  and  they  are  of  such  a  nature 
that  we  cannot  fully  understand  them.  They  are  the 
spirits  of  demons,  working  miracles.  Doctrines  of 
seducing  spirits  and  demons,  like  Christian  Science, 
Spiritism  and  Theosophy  are  already  in  the  world. 
They  are  Satan's  instruments.  But  when  the  three  un- 
clean spirits  come  forth  it  will  be  far  worse.  It  is  a  judg- 
ment also.  Compare  with  1  Kings  xxii:  13-23.  The 
kings  are  gathered  for  the  battle  which  is  to  come.  And 
it  is  God  Himself  who  does  this  gathering.  What  will 
happen  when  they  are  gathered  we  see  in  chapter  xix. 
A  final  warning  is  given  of  His  coming. 

10.  The  Seventh  Vial.  Verses  17-21.  The  seventh 
angel  pours  his  vial  into  the  air.  This  is  Satan's 
sphere.  His  power  and  dominion  is  now  dealt  with  in 
wrath.  While  Satan  was  cast  out  of  heaven,  he 
may  still  maintain  part  of  the  atmosphere  immediately 
above  the  earth,  thus  upholding  his  claim  as  the 
prince  of  the  power  of  the  air  (Eph.  ii:2).  A  great 
voice  declares  "It  is  done."  All  what  follows  shows 


THE  REVELATION  97 

that  the  climax  is  reached.  The  judgment  shown  is 
sweeping  everything.  A  great  earthquake  as  under 
the  sixth  seal  and  the  seventh  trumpet  takes  place. 
The  great  city  Babylon  is  divided  info  three  parts; 
the  cities  of  the  nations  fall.  It  is  the  hour  of  collapse, 
when  the  stone  from  above  does  its  smiting  work 
(Dan.  ii).  "It  is  done!"  The  Lord  has  come.  The 
nineteenth  chapter  will  furnish  us  the  particulars. 

SEVENTH  DIVISION.    THE  GREAT  HARLOT  BABYLON 
AND  HER  JUDGMENT. 

Chapters  XVH-XVIII. 

Chapter  XVII.  1.  The  Description  of  the  Woman. 
Verses  1-6.  Babylon  was  mentioned  for  the  first  time 
in  this  book  in  chapter  xiv:8;  her  fall  was  then  anti- 
cipated. In  two  chapters  we  have  a  description  of 
her  and  the  details  of  her  overthrow  and  complete 
destruction.  Babylon  is  seen  as  a  great,  world- 
wide ecclesiastical,  political  and  commercial  system, 
and  her  dwelling  place,  from  where  she  exercises 
authority  is  a  great  city,  which  is  the  seven-hilled  city 
Rome.  There  are  many  who  believe  that  the  literal 
Babylon  is  in  view  here  in  these  two  chapters.  It  is 
claimed  that  literal  Babylon  on  the  banks  of  the 
Euphrates  is  to  become  once  more  a  large  city  and  the 
seat  of  government  during  the  end  of  this  age.  This 
interpretation  is  wrong  and  the  best  evidences  against 
it  are  the  contents  of  the  two  chapters.  Literal  Babylon 
never  was  a  part  of  the  Roman  empire  and  as  the 
Babylon  of  Revelation  xvii  and  xviii  is  seen  in  closest 
identification  with  the  empire  and  for  a  time  at  least 
is  its  center  and  capital,  the  Babylon  in  Asia  is  ruled 


98  THE  REVELATION 

out  at  once.  Rome  was  the  great  center  of  the  Roman 
empire  and  Rome  will  once  more  become  the  seat 
where  the  woman  pictured  in  this  chapter  will  exercise 
her  authority.  We  fully  believe,  however,  that 
ancient  Babylon  will  also  be  rebuilt.  One  only  needs 
to  turn  to  Tsaiah  -!LS^2Q-2;2  tn  find  the  proof  of  that, 
tion  of  literal  Babylon  has  never  been. 
JaHylon  at  the  present  time  is  quite  an  influential 
town  and  constantly  growing.  Great  irrigation 
schemes  and  railroads  are  planned  for  Mesopotamia. 
When  Euphrates  comes  into  prominence,  as  we  have 
seen  under  the  sixth  trumpet  and  sixth  vial,  and  the 
invasion  from  the  far  East,  from  the  "sun-rise"  takes 
place,  there  must  needs  arise  on  the  banks  of  the 
Euphrates  the  ancient  city  and  become  a  city  of 
prominence  once  more.  Then  after  that  her  final 
destruction  will  come.  See  Jeremiaji  li.  All  this  is 
clear  and  cannot  be  denied.  But  it  is  equally  clear 
that  the  Babylon  described  in  these  two  chapters  in 
Revelation  is  not  the  literal  Babylon. 

In  the  first  part  of  this  chapter  we  have  a  description 

of  the  great  harlot  Babylon.     Who  then  is  this  woman, 

branded  a  harlot,  which  one  of  the  seven  angels  who 

poured  out  the  vials  showed  to  John?     She  represents 

the  Papal  system  in  its  final  power  and  control  in  the 

world.     We  shall  see  how  this  assertion  is  fully  con- 

/firmed  by  the  words  of  this  chapter.     We  saw  in  the 

/  church-message    to   Thyatira,   which    stands   for   the 

/     Papacy  and  its  great  corruption,  that  Rome  is  pictured 

as  tfie'woman  Jezebel,  corresponding  to  the  woman  in 

the   parable  of  the   leaven.     And   of  Thyatira   it   is 

said  "she  repents  nbt."^  This  shows  that  Rome  will 


wy-ns. 


THE  REVELATION  99 

continue  in  her  corrupt  ways  to  the  end,  till  judg- 
ment overtakes  her.  She  is  to  be  cast  into  great  tribu- 
lation (ii:22).  When  the  true  Church  is  caught  up 
the  Papal  system,  as  we  call  it,  the  Roman  Catholic 
"church"  will  see  a  great  revival.  For  a  time  she  has 
been  stripped  of  the  power  she  once  had,  but  it  will 
be  restored  to  her.  Along  with  the  revival  of  the 
Roman  empire  there  will  be  a  revival  of  Papal  Rome. 
Indications  of  this  are  numerous  at  the  present  time. 
While  we  see  the  possible  European  Confederacy 
\looming  up,  culminating  in  the  resurrected  empire, 
we  see  also  that  Rome  will  soon  see  her  revival.  Many 
voices  are  heard  in  Protestantism  suggesting  a  union 
with  Rome,  thus  producing  a  great  "world-church," 
a  strange  and  significant  term.  This  present  war 
must  end  some  day  and  we  should  not  at  all  be  sur- 
prised if  the  man,  who  claims  to  be  "the  head  of  the 
church  on  earth"  will  play  an  important  part  when 
peace  is  made.  The  negotiations  for  peace  may  be 
made  in  the  city  of  Rome.  But  we  must  look  very 
briefly  at  some  of  the  descriptions  of  this  woman,  the 
harlot.  "She  sitteth  upon  many  waters."  We  find 
the  interpretation  in  verse  15.  "The  waters  which 
thou  sawest,  where  the  whore  sitteth  are  peoples,  and 
multitudes,  and  nations  and  tongues."  Rome  even 
now  can  boast  of  her  children  among  all  nations.  She 
gets  her  support  from  the  whole  world.  And  when 
she  gets  her  revival  she  will  have  a  still  greater  domin- 
ion. The  kings  of  the  earth  then  yield  once  more  to 
her  spiritual  fornication.  Then  John  saw  the  woman 
upon  a  scarlet  colored  beast,  full  of  names  of  blas- 
phemy, having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns.  Who  is 


100  THE  REVELATION 

the  Beast  she  rides?     It  is  the  first  Beast  of  chapter 
xiii,  the  revived  Roman    empire.     She  becomes  iden- 

\tified  with  that  empire^ Her  atfire  is  in  purple,  scarlet 
and  she  Is  decked  with  gold  and  precious  stones  and 

<T^  pearls.  The  Pope  and  his  Cardinals  wear  these  colors. 
&  Purple  and  scarlet  are  the  leading  colors  displayed  in 
great  Romish  celebrations.  And  gold,  precious  stones 
and  pearls  describe  her  enormous  wealth  and  dazzling 
glory,  so  attractive  to  the  natural  man.  And  in  her 
hand  was  a  golden  cup  full  of  abominations  and 

-'  ,  filthiness  of  her  fornication.  How  clearly  this  des- 
cribes Papal  Rome.  Her  service,  called  worship, 
her  rituals,  her  splendid  edifices,  etc.,  all  is  fair  to 
behold  and  pleasing  to  the  eye,  like  a  golden  cup.  But 
inside  we  find  her  filthiness  in  doctrine  and  in  pjactices. 
She  encourages  sin  by  her  injiujgences.  With  the 
celibacy  there  is  also  filth  connected.  And  then  the 
vileness  and  abomination  of  the  confessional.  Her 
shameless  character  is  written  upon  her  forehead.  The 
true  Church  is  to  have  His  name  upon  the  forehead 
and  the  great  harlot-system  bears  also  an  inscription. 
"Mystery"  is  the  first  word.  It  has  been  well  put  by 
another: 

"Her  name  is  Mystery,  yet  it  is  written  on  her  forehead. 
Her  character  is  plain,  if  only  you  can  read  it.  If  you  are  pure, 
you  may  soon  know  that  she  is  not.  If  you  are  true,  you  may 
quite  easily  detect  her  falsehood.  In  lands  where  she  bears 
sway,  as  represented  in  this  picture,  she  has  managed  to  divorce 
morality  from  religion  in  such  a.  manner  that  all  the  world  knows 
the  width  of  the  breach.  Her  priests  are  used  to  convey  the 
sacraments;  and  one  need  not  look  at  the  hands  too  closely 
that  do  so  needful  a  work.  In  truth,  it  is  an  affair  of  the  hands, 
with  the  magic  of  a  little  breath  by  means  of  which  the  most 
sinful  of  His  creatures  can  create  the  God  that  made  him,  and 


THE  REVELATION  101 

easily  new-create,  therefore,  another  mortal  like  himself.  This 
is  a  great  mystery,  which  she  herself  conceives  as  "sacrament," 
and  you  may  see  this  clearly  on  her  forehead  then.  It  is  the 
trick  of  her  trade,  without  which  it  could  not  exist.  With  it, 
a  little  oil  and  water  and  spittle  become  of  marvelous  efficacy 
(the  wafer  in  the  mass)  her  capital  stock  indeed,  out  of  which, 
at  the  smallest  cost,  the  church  can  create  riches  and  power, 
and  much  that  has  unquestionable  value  in  her  eyes."* 

And  she  is  *  'Babylon  the  Great."  Babylon  means 
confusion;  it  is  the  great  confusion,  all  the  evils  and 
perversions  of  the  truth  of  God  brought  into  one 
powerful  organization.  And  she  is  the  mother  of 
all  harlots  and  abominations  on  the  earth.  E 
religious  system  which  aims  at  worldly  power  and 
grandeur  and  which  shares  more  or  less  her  assump- 
tions^and  false  doctrinesis  an  offspring  of  her.  These 
systems,  after  the  restraining  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  gone,  will  naturally  unite  with  "mother  church" 
and  form  the  great  Babylon^  And  she  was  drunken 
with  the  blood  of  the  Saints  and  with  the  blood  of 
the  martyrs  of  Jesus,  so  that  John  wondered  with  a 
great  wonder.  Such  were  her  cruel,  wicked,  Satanic 
deeds  in  the  past. 

The  inquisition,  the  torture-chambers,  the  countless 
victims  who  were  burned  to  death  and  cruelly  tortured, 
the  unspeakable  horrors  of  centuries  of  violence  and 
murder  come  to  our  mind  as  we  read  this  description. 
It  could  never  be  true  of  the  literal  Babylon.  Nor 
does  it  mean,  as  Roman  expositors  of  this  book  claim, 

*Numerical  Bible. 

S  fA  good  part  of  the  "Church  of  England"  is  ready  to  unite 
/with  Rome.  Leading  Protestant  preachers  have  also  said  that 
I  Christendom  should  soon  unite  and  acknowledge  Rome. 


102 


THE   REVELATION 


, 


pagan  Rome,  for  if  it  meant  the  persecutions  under 
the_  Roman  Emperors,  John  would  not  have  won- 
dered with  a  great  wonder.  And  the  last  page  of  her 
cruel,  horrible,  persecutions  is  not  yet  written.  When 
she  comes  in  power  again,  she  will  do  the  same  thing, 
enabled,  no  doubt,  by  the  power  of  the  Beast.  Papal 
Rome,  the  blood-thirsty,  corrupt  system  is  what  we 
see  here  and  Rome  is  seen  in  her  coming  revival. 

2.  The  Interpretation  by  the  Angel.  ^TTrses  7—15. 
The  interpreting  angel  told  John  who  the  Beast 
is,  the  Beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  and  yet  is.  (verse 
8).  It  is  the  Roman  empire,  as  stated  before.  It  was, 
in  an  imperial  form  in  John's  day.  In  the  fifth  cen- 
tury, A.D.,  it  ceased  existing  as  imperial  Rome;  it 
is  not.  But  it  is  to  be  again,  a  revival  which  is  here 
y- "  described  as  coming  out  of  the  pit  of  the  abyss  (Chapter 
xiii).  Verse  9  shows  Rome  (seven  mountains)*  where 
f.'  the  woman  sitteth.  Therefore  Rome  speaks  of  "the 
See  of  the  Papacy"  and  "See"  is  derived  from  the 


The  seven  kings  or  heads  in  verse  10  mean  different 
forms  of  government  of  the  Roman  empire.     Five  are 
fallen;  these  were  Kings,  Consuls,  Dictators,  Decemvirs 
and    Military   Tribunes.      These    are     past   forms   of 
^^  4  government.     But  in  John's  day  the  empire  had  the 
V  ^  *  imperial  form  of  government.     This  is  the  meaning  of 
\\  J'one  is."    The  other  and  final  form  of  the  Roman 
\  Empire    "is  not  yet^ceme."    That  is  in  John's  day 
^      ^   it  had  not  yet  come.     It  is  the  Satanic  revival  and  con- 


call  the  seven  hills  upon  which  "the 
so-caTteeLJs  built 


\  n 


THE  REVELATION  103 

trol  of  the  empire  as  we  saw  it  in  Chaj3ter_xiii.  And  the 
eighth  head,  which  goeth  into  perdition,  is  the  man  who 
heads  the  empire,  thejittle  horn,  which  Daniel  saw 
on  the  ten-horned  Beast.  The  ten  horns  in  verses 
12-13  are  the  kings.  They  correspond  to  the  ten 
toes  on  Nebuchadnezzar's  image  and  the  ten  horns 
on  the  fourth  Beast  which  Daniel  saw  coming  out  of  / 
the  sea.  And  these  ten  kings  yield  their  power  and 
strength  unto  the  Beast.  In  verse  14,  their  awful 
future  is  seen.  We  shall  see  this  more  fully  in  Chapter 
xix:  11-21.  They  are  going  to  make  war  with  the 
Lamb,  and  the  Lamb,  who  is  Lord  of  lords  and  King 
of  kings,  will  overcome  them.  With  Him  are  the 
called,  the  chosen  and  the  faithful,  that  is  the  redeemed, 
who  come  with  Him  and  are  manifested  when  He 
appears. 

3.  The  Desolation  of  the  Whore.  Verses  16-18. 
The  woman  rides  the  Beast  for  a  short  time  only. 
She  will  not  be  long  successful  in  her  regained  power. 
The  ten  horns,  the  ten  kingdoms,  and  the  Beast* 
hate  her  and  turn  against  the  whore.  First  they 
were  all  for  her  and  now  they  unite  in  making  her 
desolate  and  naked  and  burn  her  with  fire.  But 
more  than  that  "and  shall  eat  her  flesh,"  just  as 
Jezebel  was  eaten  by  the  dogs.  It  is  God  in  His 
righteous  judgment  who  decreed  her  desolation  in  this 
way.  "And  the  woman  which  thou  sawest  is  that 
great  city,  which  reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the  earth." 
City  is  none  other  than  Rome. 


*"And  the  Beast"  is  not  in  the  authorized  version;   it  is  added 
in  the  Revised  Version  and  belongs  rightfully  into  the  text. 


104  THE  REVELATION 

Chapter  XVIII.  4.  The  Angelic  Announcement. 
Verses  1-3.  Babylon  is  now  seen  under  another 
aspect.  In  the  former  chapter  we  have  the  religious 
center  of  Rome  and  her  wicked  idolatries,  in  the 
present  chapter  it  includes  also  the  whole  system  of 
apostate  Christendom  in  its  social  and  commercial 
aspect,  the  so-called  "Christian  civilization"  in  its 
final  apostate  condition  and  doom.  "Fa'paTRone  in 
her  short  revival  becomes  the  head  of  apostate  Chris- 
tendom and  controls  everything  till  her  appointed 
doom  comes  upon  her.  While  we  saw  in  the  preceding 
chapter  the  desolation  of  the  whore  by  the  ten  kings  and 
the  Beast,  here  we  see  how  God  views  her  and  that  He 
dethrones  this  system  by  His  judgment.  A  strong 
angel  comes  down  to  announce  her  doom  and  to  lay 
bare  her  inner  and  most  awful  corruption.  And  the 
descending  Angel*  whose  glory  lightened  the  earth, 
shows  what  the  boasting  thing,  she,  who  bore  the  blessed 
name  of  Christ,  has  become.  She  is  seen  to  be  the 
habitation  of  demons.  Even  now  behind  all  the 
denials  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  the  false  doctrines 
which  mark  the  onward  march  of  the  predicted  apos- 
tasy, demons  are  the  leaders  (1  Tim.  iv:l).  But  what 
will  it  be  when  the  demons  are  in  full  power  on  the 
earth  and  all  Christendom  has  joined  itself  to  the 
Romish  whore!  That  great  "world-church"  has 
become  "the  hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  and  a  cage 


*This  angel  may  represent  the  Lord  Himself.  If  this  is  correct 
we  have  the  third  manifestation  of  our  Lord  in  the  garb  of  an 
angel.  jriii:3  in  His  priestly  dignity;  x:l  in  His  royal  dignity 
and  here  as  the  herald  and"  executor  of  the  vengeance  of  Cod 
upon  Babylon. 


THE  REVELATION  105 

of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird."  The  mustard 
tree  parable  (Matthew  xiii)  points  out  this  also.  The 
birds  which  flock  into  the  branches  are  unclean  things. 
Christendom  has  been  this  in  the  past  and  is  it  now, 
but  when  at  last  all  is  united  with  Rome  and  forms 
one  vast  ecclesiastical  system,  then  every  foul  spirit, 
every  unclean  and  hateful  bird  will  be  found  in  her. 
And  the  nations  drank  eagerly  her  cup  and  the  kings 
committed  fornication  with  her.  These  kings  are  not 
the  ten  kings  of  the  Empire  for  they  are  used  in  the 
judgment  of  the  whore,  while  the  kings  mentioned 
here  bewail  her  destruction  (verse  9).  And  with 
the  system  there  was  connected  great  commerce; 
merchants  through  her  became  rich. 

5.  The  Call  to  Separate.  Verses  4-5.  God  always 
calls  out  His  true  children  from  that  which  is  evil. 
His  own  must  be  a  separated  people.  Saints  in  past 
centuries  have  heard  this  call  and  left  behind  the 
Romish  abominations  and  thousands  sealed  their 
testimony  with  their  blood.  And  in  these  days  in 
which  our  lot  is  cast,  days  with  increasing  signs, 
heralding  as  never  before  the  approaching  end  and 
the  home-call  of  His  people  to  meet  Him  in  the  air, 
in  these  days  God  demands  the  separation  of  His 
true  children.  Christendom  is  becoming  daily  more 
and  more  the  religious  camp  of  apostasy.  And  there- 
fore He  calls  "Let  us  go  forth  unto  Him  without  the 
camp  bearing  His  reproach"  (Heb.  xiii:13).  He  who 
remains  in  that  which  denies  His  Name,  is  partaker  of 
her  sins  (verse  4  compare  with  2  John,  verses  10-11). 
As  all  drifts  back  to  Rome  and  the  coming  gpjiticjl, 
and  religious  confederacy,  this  final  Babylon  looms  up, 


106  THE  REVELATION 

God's  people  must  hear  that  call.  And  what  shall  we 
say  of  certain  professional  evangelists  who  instead 
of  sounding  this  divine  call,  laud,^^©:^^,  speak  well 
of  her,  so  that  their  supposed  "converts"  unite  with 
the  Romish  whore  by  the  hundreds!  But  there  is  to 
be  a  final  call  to  come  out  of  her,  after  the  true  Church 
is  gone.  To  whom  is  this  call  addressed?  Undoubtedly 
to  the  remnant  of  God's  ancient  people,  the  believing 
remnant*  and  also  to  that  large  number  of  Gentiles 
who  hear  the  final  message,  the  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom. 
6.  Her  Pride  and  Righteous  Destruction.  Verses 
6-8.  The  language  of  righteous  retribution  used  in 
the  sixth  verse  reminds  of  Psalm  cxxxvii:8.  "O 
daughter  of  Babylon,  thou  shah  be  destroyed;  happy 
shall  he  be,  that  rewardeth  thee  as  thou  hast  served 
us."  It  is  the  language  not  of  Christians,  who  are 
exhorted  not  to  recompense  evil  for  .evil,  but  it  is  the 
expression  of  the  remnant  of  Israel.  Like  ancient 
Babylon,  the  whole  apostate  system,  Rome  and  all  her 
offspring,  was  filled  with  pride.  She  was  lifted  up 
in  all  her  earthly  glory  and  now  God  breaks  her  com- 
pletely. "She  shall  be  utterly  burned  with  fire." 
As  her  smoke  is  to  arise  forever  and  ever  (xix:3)  it  is 
possible  that  the  proud  city,  Rome,  the  center  of  the 
systernof  apostasy  and  commerce  will  be  destroyed 
by  volcanic  action  and  where  the  seven-hilled  city  once 
stood  there  may  be  instead  an  immense* crater,  testify- 
ing throughout  the  millenniumoT~Go3's  righteous 
retribution.  In  view  of  the  volcanic  conditions  on 


*Jeremiah  li:6  concerns  the  literal  Babylon  of  the  past.     Godly 
Jews  were  exhorted  to  flee  her. 


THE  REVELATION  107 

the  Italian  peninsula  this  is  more  than  possible. 
Rome  means  "strong,"  but  her  strength  will  be  broken 
when  the  strong  Lord  God  judgeth  her. 

7.  The    Universal    Lamentation   Over    Her.     Verses    /-y> 
9-19.     And    now    follows    the    great    and    universal    *es 
lamentation  over  the  destruction  of  the  great  world-      *j 
system.     There  is  weeping  and  wailing  when  at  last 
this  Anti-christian  civilization,  all  Christendom  united 
with  Rome,  and  for  a  time  controlling  the  commerce 

of  the  world,  is  wiped  out  by  the  hand  of  God.  The 
kings,  the  merchants,  the  shipmasters,  the  company 
in  ships  and  sailors,  all  are  seen  mourning,  weeping 
and  wailing.  The  destruction  of  the  system  and  of 
its  proud  city  affects  them  all.  They  bewail  their 
great  loss.  Notice  twenty-eight  things  are  mentioned 
by  them.  The  first  is  gold  and  the  last  the_souls  of 
men.  How  this  describes  Rome!  She  is  the  trafficker 
in  souls  and  the  destroyer  of  souls  as  well.  And  in 
studying  the  articles  of  the  commerce  of  apostate 
Christendom  we  notice  that  these  are  nearly  all 
articles  of  luxury.  The  greatest  panic  has  then  come 
and  there  "will"  be  no  recovery  of  the  market.  The 
rich  men  will  weep  and  howl  for  their  misery  is  come 
upon  them  (James  v:l).  See  also  Zeph.  i:ll;  18. 

8.  The   Rejoicing    Heavens.     Verse  20.     Heaven  is 
called  to  rejoice  over  her  and  three  classes  are  men- 
tioned (Revised  Version)  Saints,  Apostles  and  ProfQiets. 
"For  God  hath  judged  your  judgment  on  her."     This 
is    the   better   rendering.     The   judgment   which   the 
saints  pronounced  on  her  is  now  executed.     However, 
the  next  chapter  shows  us  more  fully  the  rejoicing 
heavens. 


108  THE  REVELATION 

P.  Her  Utter  and  Everlasting  Destruction,  Verses 
21-23.  In  Jeremiah  11:60-64  we  read  that  Seraiah 
was  commissioned  by  Jeremiah  to  attach  a  stone  to 
the  book  containing  the  prophet's  words  and  to  cast 
it  into  the  Euphrates.  "And  thou  shalt  say,  thus  shall 
Babylon  sink  and  shall  not  rise  from  the  evil  that  I 
will  bring  upon  her  and  they  shall  be  weary."  Here 
an  angel  took  up  a  millstone  and  cast  it  into  the  sea 
showing  by  this  action  the  complete  and  final  destruc- 
tion of  the  wicked  system  and  the  equally  wicked  city. 
And  whatTeTelTUioTi  tfiere  is  in  the  statement  "for 
by  thy  sorceries  were  all  nations  deceived."  In  Chapter 
xx  we  read  that  the  old  Serpent  deceives  the  nations. 
Sorceries,  wicked  spirits,  demon-powers  blinded  the 
eyes  of  the  nations  to  follow  Rome's  seductive  lure. 
And  thus  it  is  with  a  life-less,  spirit-less  Protestantism 
and  its  blood-less  Gospel.  The  sorceries  of  Rome,  the 
demons  underneath  it  all,  attract  apostate  Christejidom 
so  that  all  will  be  united  in  the  great,  final  Babylon. 

10.  The  Blood  of  the  Saints  Found  in  Her.  Verse 
24.  So  that  we  may  not  err  that  both  chapters  refer 
to  Rome,  though  the  entire  Apostate  Christendom  is 
also  in  view,  her  blood-guiltiness  is  mentioned  once 
more.  Chapter  xvii:6.* 

*Alas!  she  has  erected  the  prisons,  and  prepared  the  rack, 
and  lighted  the  fires  of  what  she  calls  the  holy  office  of  the 
Inquisition  in  Italy,  Spain,  America,  and  India.  She  lauds  one 
of  her  canonized  Popes,  JPius  the  Fifth,  in  her  Breviary,  as  an 
inflexible  inquisitor.  She  has  engraven  the  massacre  of  St. 
Bartholomew's  Day  on  herJPapal  coins,  and  there  represents 
it  as  a  work  done  by  an  angel  from  heaven.  And  the  Roman 
Pontiff  of  that  day  went  publicly  to  Church  to  return  thanks 
to  God  for  that  savage  and  treacherous  deed. — Wordsworth. 


/ 


// 
f 


& 
r 


/  / 


THE   REVELATION  109 

EIGHTH    DIVISION.      THE    MANIFESTATION    OF    THE 
KING    AND    THE   MILLENNIUM. 

Chapters  XIX-XX  :  16 

We  reach  the  great  climax  in  this  wonderful  book. 
The  King  in  His  glorious  majesty  is  now  to  be 
manifested  to  deal  with  the  earth  in  the  great  judgment 
and  to  receive  the  throne  which  is  promised  unto  Him. 
The  seven  years  of  darkness,  apostasy  and  tribulation, 
the  years  in  which  man's  day  reached  its  awful  cul- 
mination, the  years  of  manifestation  of  demon  powers 
which  produced  the  greatest  wickedness  and  blasphemy 
the  earth  has  seen,  are  about  over.  The  Lamb  of 
God,  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  executed  the 
decreed  judgments  from  above.  The  seals  of  the 
book  He  received  were  opened  by  Him.  The  angels 
have  blown  their  judgment  trumpets  and  the  things 
written  have  come  to  pass.  The  other  seven  angels 
,  poured  out  their  vials  upon  the  earth.  The  beginning 
of  sorrows  were"  followed  by  the  great  tribulation. 
Politically  and  ecclfg'agtiV^llv  upheavals  indescribable 
have  taken  place.  The  great  nations  formed  their 
confederacy,  the  revived  Roman  empire,  and  Satan 
put  his  man  at  the  head  of  the  empire,  the  little  hopi. 
Out  of  Israel's  land  and  in  the  midst  of  that  land  the 
second  Beast  arose,  the  false  prophet,  the  false  ^Messiah. 
These  two  Satan  possessed  instruments,  as  we  saw, 
worked  together  and  through  them  and  other  agencies, 
Satan,  cast  out  of  heaven,  produced  the  great  tribu- 
lation. In  the  midst  of  all  these  terrible  scenes  of 
bloodshed,  revolution  and  indescribable  confusion  the 
remnant  of  Israel  gave  the  faithful  testimony,  while 


'7 


I 


110  THE  REVELATION 

the  remnant  in  the  land  suffered  and  thousands  of 
these  faithful  witnesses  were  martyred,  because  they 
refused  to  worship  the  Beast  and  to  receive  the  mark 
of  the  Beast.  And  a  great  multitude  of  Gentiles,  were 
saved  through  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  of  the 
dngdpm,  which  they  heard  from  the  sealed  remnant 
of  Israel.  Then  we  saw  Babylon,  the  final  ecclesiastical 
conditions  of  apostate  Christendom,  headed  by  Rome 
in  a  world-wide  system,  and  we  saw  the, fall  and  total 
destruction  of  the  city  and  the  system.  The  end  of 
the  seven  years  has  come  and  heaven  is  now  to  speak 
and  the  King  with  His  heavenly  company,  the  Saints 
and  also  His  angels,  is  about  to  appear  crowned  with 
many  crowns^.  The  King  is  about  to  come,  for  the 
great  day  of  God  Almighty,  when  He,  as  the  executor 
of  the  day  of  vengeance,  is  to  tread  the  winepress 
of  the  fierceness  and  wrath  of  Almighty  God. 

Before  we  enter  upon  the  exposition  of  this  great 
and  long-predicted  event,  the  visible  and  glorious 
coming  of  our  Lord,  let  us  picture  briefly  the  conditions 
on  earth  when  the  heavens  are  about  to  open  and  He 
comes  back.  No  human  person,  however,  can  do  that 
fully,  for  the  conditions  and  scenes  which  exist  then 
beggar  description.  In  the  previous  chapter  we 
heard  the  wail  and  lamentation  over  the  destruction 
of  the  great  Babylon.  They  cast  dust  on  their  heads 
and  there  was  weeping  and  wailing  (xviii:19).  These 
lamentations  over  the  loss  of  earthly  prosperity, 
over  the  destruction  of  the  great  ecclesiastical  and 
commercial  system  will  continue.  But  there  is 
greater  fear  than  that.  The  approaching  day  is  felt 
by  all.  What  we  saw  under  the  sixth  seaT  is  now 


THE  REVELATION  111 

being  fully  enacted.  The  fulfillment  of  the  words 
of  our  Lord  in  Luke  xxi:25-27  is  at  hand.  "And 
there  shall  be  signs  in  the  sun,  and  in  the  moon,  and 
in  the  stars;  and  upon  the  earth  distress  "oTnations 
with  perplexity;  the  sea  and  the  waves  roaring;  men's 
hearts  failing  them  for  fear,  and  for  looking  after  those 
things  which  are  coming  on  the  earth,  for  the  powers 
of  the  heavens  shall  be  shaken.  And  then  shalf  they 
see  the  Son  of  Man  coming  in  a  cloud  with  power 
and  great  glory."  While  such  fear  takes  hold  upoiftrie 
peopTe  and  the  terror  of  the  coming  Lord  is  upon  them, 
the  JSeast.  that  is  the  head  of  the  Roman  empire,  and 
the  kings  of  the  earth  with  him,  take  another  attitude. 
They  become  under  Satanic  leadership  so  darkened 
and  possessed  that  they  rush  towards  the  land  of 
Israel.  The  defiance  pictured  in  the  Second  Psalm 
has  reached  its  climax.  Besides  this  the  great  gathering 
from  beyond  the  Euphrates  under  the  leadership 
of  the  King  of  the  North  and  the  Kings  from  the  Sun- 
rise has  taken  place.  The  northern  and  eastern  hordes 
sweep  into  the  land  and  threaten  the  Beast  and  the 
Kings  with  him.  The  nations  are  massea  with  their 
armies  in  Palestine.  In  Jerusalem  the  greatest  dis- 
tress prevails.  The  second  Beast,  the  Anti-christ, 
called  also  the  false  Prophet,  has  his  seat  there,  and  as 
we  saw  in  the  eleventh  chapter  as  well  as  in  the  thir- 
teenth, large  numbers  of  the  faithful  Jewish  remnant 
are  slain  by  him.  The  city  is  surrounded  by  the  hostile 
armies  and  the  siege  described  by  Zechariah  is  taking 
place.  And  those  who  _endure  to  the  end  and  hold 
out  against  the  false  Messiah(Matt.  xxiv)  pray  as 
never  before  and  call  for  heaven's  intervention.  Their 


£,, 


112  THE  REVELATION 

prayer  will  be  "Oh  that  Thou  wouldest  rend  the 
heavens  and  come  down"  (Is.  lxiv:l).  It  is  then  when 
the  nations  rage  and  Satan's  power  is  at  its  height 
that  the  answer  comes  from  above.  The  earthshakes 
in  its  very  foundations  and  now  the  powers  _of  the 
heavens  also  begin  to  shake.  The  ominous  signs  in 
the  Sun,  in  the  Moon  and  in  the  Stars  are  seen.  The 
fact  that  something^  startling  is  aboufto  happen  from 
above  is  realized  by  the  Beast,  and  the  kings  with  their 
armies.  Then  the  Beast,  the  kings  of  the  earth  and 
their  armies,  utterly  blinded  by  Satan,  are  ready 
to  make  war  against  Him  who  is  about  to  Be  manifested. 
No  doubt  their  well-equipped  aeroplanes,  and  other 
air-crafts  circle  upward  to  interfere  with  the  coming 


King  and  His  army.  Then  the  blow  falls  upon  them. 
The  stone,  which  Nebuchadnezzar  saw  falling  out  of 
"Heaven^ strikes  at  last  and  the  Son  of  Man  appears 
in  the  clouds  of  heaven  to  receive  the  kingdom.  And 
now  we  must  look  at  the  details  of  this  great  revelation. 

Chapter  XIX.  1.  The  Four  Hallelujah's  in  Heaven. 
The  Marriage  of  the  Lamb.  Verses  1-10.  Once  more 
we  find  the  significant  phrase  "after  these  things" 
(Chapter  iv:l;  vii:l;  xviiitl).  "After  these  things" — 
the  things  which  are  described  in  chapters  xvii  and 
xviii,  the  fall  of  Babylon  and  the  complete  destruction 

***^* ****^ *• 

of  the  whore  andthe  jsystern  over  which  she  presided 
and  domineered,  after  these  things,  voices  in  heaven 
are  heard  again.  We  were  first  introduced  to  the 
heavens  in  this  book  in  the  fourth  chapter.  Then 
a  door  was  opened  in  heaven,  symbolical  of  the  entrance 

j.  *^"*"^^»-.^^^-^»^ 

ef  the  Saints  of  God  of  all  ages  into  glory.     It  is  the 


THE  REVELATION  113 

fulfillment  of  1  Thess.  iv:13-18.    Then  we  saw  what 
transpired  in  glory.     All  the  Saints,  God's  redeemed 
people   gathered    around    the   throne    and   occupying 
thrones  worshipping  and  sinking  the  song  of  redemption.     / 
Under  thefiltn  seal  we  had  another  glimpse  of  heaven. 
The   first    martyred    company,    the    souls   under   the 
altar  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  How  long  O  Lord?    And    * 
they    received    their   white  robes.     Then  we  read  of 
silence  in  heaven   and   saw  the  Angel-Priest  in  His  .A 
ministration  at  the  altar  (viii:l-5)  while  in  the  tenth 
chapter  we  beheld   Him   descending  out  of  heaven. 
The  martyred  Saints  during^  the  tribulation  we  saw, 
raised  Irom  the  dead  and  taken  in  the    cloud    into   * 
heaven  (xi:12)  while  immediately  after,  when  the  sev- 
enth angel  trumpeted,  the  heavens  were  celebrating  in 
worship  and  in  praise  the  consummation  reached  and  / 
the  coming  reign  of_the  King.     Again  in  the  twelfth 
chapter   we   saw   the   rejoicing   heavens.     They   that/ 
dwell   in  them   rejoiced   because   the   accuser  of  the 
brethren  was  cast  down  and  knowing  what  it  means 
for  the  earth  when  Satan  is  there,  the  heavens  pro- 
nounced  their  woe.     In  chapter  xiv  we  beheld   the 
heavens    again,    the    redeemed    company    praising   as    ^ 
well   as   the   harpers."  "CEapter  xv   revealed    another 
heavenly  scene.     Babylon's  fall  was  also  known  to  the 
tenants  of  heaven.     We  give  this  brief  review  to  show 
that  while  these  things  are  going  on  in  the  earth,  the 
glorified  Saints,  we  His  people  who  shall  then  be  in  His 
presence,  shall  know,  and  not  be  ignorant  of  the  events 
on  earth.  _  We   shall   see  then  all    from   above   and 
praise  Him  for  His  grace  which  saved  us  and  brought 
us  to  glory. 


114  THE  REVELATION 

In  chapter  xviii:20  we  heard  the  words  addressed 
to  heaven  "Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven,  and  ye 
holy  apostles  and  prophets,  for  God  hath  avenged  you 
on  her."  And  now  we  see  heaven  rejoicing.  "I 
heard  as  it  were*  a  great  voice  of  a  great  multitude 
in  heaven  saying,  Hallelujah."  Hallelujah  means 
"Praise  ye  Jehovah."  This  Hebrew  word  is  not  found 
elsewhere  in  the_  New  Testament.  Four  times  this 
word  of  praise  is  found  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter; 
the  Hallelujah  times  for  heaven  and  earth  are 
imminent.  The  Book  of  Psalms  closes  with  many 
Hallelujahs;  the  blessed  time  which  the  Psalms  so 
often  anticipate,  when  the  earth  is  judged  in  right- 
eousness and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  is  manifested,  is 
now  at  hand.  The  praise  here  is  on  account  of  the 
righteousness  of  God  exhibited  in  the  judgment  of 
the  great  whore  "which  did  corrupt  the  earth  with  her 
fornication"  and  because  the  blood  of  God's  servants 
shed  by  her  is  now  avenged.  The  great  multitude 
whose  Hallelujah  is  heard  first  must  be  the  company  of 
.jnartyrs  who  died  during  the  tribulation.  The  souls 
under  the  altar  and  their  brethren  which  were  slain 
later  utter  this  praise  now.  They  are  seen  as  a  dis- 
tinct company  from  the  twenty-four  Elders.  A 
second  Hallelujah  is  uttered  by  them,  while  the 
smoke  of  the  destroyed  city  goeth  up  forever  and  ever. 
"And  the  four  and  twenty  Elders  and  the  four  living 
Creatures  fell  down  and  worshipped  God  that  sitteth 
on  the  throne,  saying,  Amen,  Hallelujah."  The  whole 
redeemed  company,  Old  and  New  Testament  Saints. 

*Revised  Version. 


THE   REVELATION  115 

add  their  Amen  and  Hallelujah  to  the  outburst  of 
praise  on  account  of  the  execution  of  the  righteous 
judgment.  And  they  worship  God  for  it  is  His  right- 
eousness which  accomplished  the  destruction  of  the 
great  whore.  In  the  midst  of  this  wonderful  and 
impressive  worship-scene  the  throne  begins  to  be 
heard.  A  voice  from  the  throne  saith  "Give  Praise 
unto  God  all  ye  His  servants  and  ye  that  fear  Him 
both  small  and  great."  And  the  command  is  at  once 
obeyed.  John  hears  the  fourth  Hallelujah  and  it  is 
the  greatest,  the  most  magnificent.  It  is  the  great 
Hallelujah-chorus  of  heaven.  Like  the  voice  of  many, 
roaring  waters,  like  the  voice  of  mighty  thunderings  a 
great  multitude  saith  "Hallelujah  for  the  Lord  our 
God  Omnipotent  reigneth."  Who  is  this  great  multi- 
tude? In  the  first  verse  we  heard  the  Hallelujah 
of  the  martyred  companies.  The  twenty-four  Elders 
and  four  living  Creatures  did  not  join  in  this  first  Halle- 
lujah. Their  Halleluiah  followed.  And  now  the 
greater  outburst  of  a  great  multitude.  This  multi- 
tude I'nrlnHoc  all  tfrf*  redeemed  in  glory.  And  they 
rejoice  and  give  glory  for  an  additional  reason  which  is 
made  known  for  the  first  time  in  this  book.  The 
marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  about  to  be  consummated. 
"Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give  honor  to  Him, 
for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come  and  His  wife 
has  made  herself  ready."  The  harlot  being  judged, 
she  which  claimed  to  be  the  bride^and  now  the  true 
bride  of  Christ  is  seen  in  glory.  And  it  is  the  mar- 
riajfe^  of  the  Lamb.  His  joy  is  now  filled  full  for 
He  receives  her,  who  is  bone  of  His  bone  and  flesh  of 
His  flesh.  The  second  Man,  the  last  Adam,  is  joined 


116  THE  REVELATION 

to  her  who  is  to  rule  and  reign  with  Him.  But  who 
is  the  bride  about  to  become  the  Lamb's  wife?  Some 
teach  that  it  is  Israel  to  be  united  with  the  Lord 
in  the  closest  bonds.  But  these  expositors  forget 
that  the  scene  is  a  heavenly  one.  This  marriage  does 
not  take  place  on  earth  where  the  faithful  remnant 
looks  up  expecting  Him  to  appear  for  their  deliverance, 
but  thisjnarriage  is  in  glory.  It  is  true  such  relation- 
ship is  declared  to  be  Israel's  in  the  Old  Testament. 
She  was  married  to  Jehovah  in  a  legal  covenant  arid 
on  account  of  her  faithless  condition,  because  Jeru- 
salem played  the  harlot  (Ezek.  xvi:35)  she  was  put 
away.  For  a  time  Israel  was  the  wife  of  Jehovah 
(Is.  livn.)  and  then  on  account  of  her  wickedness 
became\  divorced.  She  will  be  taken  back  in  the  day 
of  her  national  repentance  when  the  Lord  comes. 
But  as  one  who  had  been  divorced  she  cannot  be  a 
bride  again.  The  bride  of  Christ  to  become  the 
Lamb's  wjfr  is  *k°  PVi»rr^  nf  the  New  Testament. 
.£  Alfwho  accepted  Christ  as  Saviour  and  Lord  since  the 
day  -of  Pfifltecost  constitute  the  bride  of  Christ.  The 

f  Church  began  on  Pentecost  and  her  completion  will 
be  the  translation  to  glory  (1  Thess.  iv:17).  She  is 
both  the  body  of  Christ  and  the  bride  of  Christ,  as 
Eve  was  of  the  body  of  Adam  and  also  his  bride.  The 
Church  is  the  nearest  and  the  most  beloved  object  to 
His  loving  heart.  "He  loved  the  Church  and  gave  Him- 
self for  it;  that  He  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with 
the  washing  of  the  water  by  the  word,  that  He  might 
present  to  Himself  a  glorious  church  not  having 
spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing;  but  that  it  should 
>e  holy  and  without  blemish"  (Eph.  v:25-27).  She 


THE   REVELATION  117 

is  the  pearl  of  great  price  for  which  He  sold  all  He  had. 
The  Church  is  this  bride  of  Christ  and  even  before 
the  marriage,  the  Spirit  of  God  in  anticipation  addressed 
her  as  such.       For  I  have  espoused  you  to  one  husband, 
that  I  may  present  you  as  a  chaste  virgin  to  Christ" 
(2  Cor.  xi:2).      And    when    the    Holy    Spirit    gives 
the  blessed  exhortation  to  the  Christian  family  and 
indicates  its  deeper  meaning,  that  the  Christian  family 
is  typical  of  Christ  and  the  Church,  He  adds  "I  speak 
concerning    Christ    and    the    Church."     For    we    are 
members  of  His  body  of  His  flesh  and  of  His  bones. 
The  church   is   now  presented   in   glory  to  Himself; 
this  is  before  us  in  this  passage.     She  comes  into  view 
as  the  Lamb's  wife.     It  is  very  significant  that  the 
(*     twenty-four  Elders  are  no  longer  mentioned  after  this. 
Y     As  we  saw  the  twenty-four  Elders  are  typical  of  all 
T/  the  redeemed,  the  Saints  of  both  Testaments.     But 
t  here  a   division  takes  place.     The  bride,  the  church 
y&  takes  her  exalted  position  along  side  of  Himself  and 
the  Old  Testament  Saints  are  there  as  the  friends  of 
the  Bridegroom  (John  iii:29).    But  they  do  not  belong 
to  the  Church  and  do  not  compose  the  frrl^nf  Pbrl 

But  how  has  she  made  herself  ready?  And  what 
does  it  mean  "And  to  her  was  granted  that  she  should 
be  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  clean  and  white  for  the  linen 
is  the  righteousnesses  of  theSaints"  ?  The  Grace  of  God 
has  supplied  the  robe  and  the  precious  blood  is  her 
title  to  glory.  In  this  respect  she  was  ready.  But 
the  words  here  refer  us  to  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ, 
that  award  seat  before  which  we  must  appear.  Then 
the  hidden  things  are  brought  to  light  and  the  wood 
and  the  hay  and  stubble  is  burned  (1  Cor.  iii:12-15). 


118  THE  REVELATION 

Then  "every  man  shall  have  praise  of  God"  (1  Cor. 
iv:5)  and  what  Grace  accomplished  in  each  one  and 
through  each  will  be  manifested.  And  the  clean  white 
linen  "is  the  righteousnesses  of  the  Saints."  The 
word  "righteousness"  is  in  the  plural.  It  means  more 
than  the  righteousness  which  we  are  in  Christ  or  the 
faith  in  Him,  which  is  counted  for  righteousness 
(Rom.  iv:3).  It  includes  all  the  blessed  results  in 


me  and  service  produced  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  the 
practical  righteousness  of  the  Saints.  And  yet  even 
these  need  the  washing  in  that  precious  blood  without 
which  all  is  unclean  and  unholy.  And  so  it  is  Grace 
after  all  as  indicated  by  the  word  "given."* — "it  was 
given  to  her  to  be  clothed  in  fine  linen,  bright  and 
pure."  He  Himself  has  made  her  ready  and  removed 
every  spot^  every  wrinkle  and  every  blemish.  God 
grant  that  we  His  people  may  daily  meditate  on  this 
coming  glorious  event,  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb, 
and  walk  worthy  of  such  a  Lord  and  such  a  calling. 
Once  more  John  is  commissioned  to  write.  "Write, 
Blessed  are  they  which  are  bidden  to  the  marriage 
supper  of  the  Lamb."  And  who  can  estimate  the 

••vh^^^M 

blessedness  of  being  in  His  ever  blessed  Presence,  at 
His  table,  at  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb!  And 
to  this  feast  sinners  are  called  by  the  Gospel  throughout 
this  age,  and  they  who  accept  the  gracious  invitation, 
and  become  His,  can  look  forward  with  holy  antici- 
pation to  the  coming  marriage  and  the  marriage  supper, 
the  feast  of  joy  and  gladness.  And  to  this  is  added  the 

very  seal  of  God.     "These  are  the  true  words  of  God." 

__ 

*Rev!sed  Ver«ion. 


THE  REVELATION  119 

What  assurance  this  gives  to  our  souls!  Because  these 
are  the  very  words  of  God,  all  will  come  to  pass  as 
promised  here.  It  does  not  matter  if  our  years  come 
and  go,  the  ultimate  accomplishment  will  surely  come. 
And  John  was  overwhelmed  and  fell  at  the  feet  of  the 
angel  to  worship  him.  Beautiful  it  is  how  the  angel 
takes  the  place  as  a  servant,  a  fellow-servant  of  those 
that  have  the  testimony  of  JesusI  The  Testimony  of 
Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  Prophecy.  And  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  bears  witness  to  His  resurrection,  His  presence 
in  glory,  and  His  coming  again,  and  all  the  blessed 
things  connected  with  that  day,  so  fully  revealed  in 
God's  Word.  Thus  the  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit 
of  Prophecy.  All  Prophecy  concerns  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  all  intelligent,  scriptural  proclamation  of 
the  coming  events  are  a  testimony  concerning  Himself. 
2.  Heaven  Opened.  The  Coming  of  the  King. 
Verses  11-16.  And  now  we  reach  the  great  event 
so  often  mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament,  the  event 
for  which  this  world  is  waiting,  the  visible  manifesta- 
tion of  Him,  whom  the  heavens  received,  who  returns 
to  judge  the  earth,  to  receive  the  promised  King- 
dom and  rule  over  the  earth  for  a  thousand  years. 
We  have  reached  the  great  climax  in  the  Revelation. 
In  the  beginning  of  the  book  we  read  the  announcement 
"Behold,  He  cometh  with  clouds  and  every  eye  shall 
see  Him"  and  now  this  long  predicted  and  long  expected 
event  takes  place.  To  quote  the  predictions  in  the  Old 
Testament  prophetic  Word  which  speak  of  the  Coming 
of  the  King  and  His  rule  would  fill  many  pages.  With- 
out quoting  the  words  we  give  a  number  of  passages 
which  ever}''  student  of  Revelation  should  read  and 


120  THE  REVELATION 

become  familiar  with,  for  they  shed  their  light  upon 
this  chapter.  Psalm  ji;  xlv;  xlvi;  xlyu;_hl^6;  Ixyiii; 
ex.  Isaiah jd;  xxiv:19-23;  xxv;  xxvi;20-21; 
Jxv:5-16.  DanieTTi  -.44-45 :  "yua^HTJod  m: 

iii;  _Zech.  xiv.  These  are  but  a  few  of  many  more 
which  could  be  added.  His  own  words  are  to  be 
fulfilled.  "Immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those 
days  shall  the  sun  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall 
not  give  her  light,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven, 
and  the  powers  of  the  heaven  shall  be  shaken.  And 
then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  heaven, 
and  then  shall  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  mourn,  and 
they  shall  see  the  Son  of  Man  coming  on  the  clouds  of 
heaven  with  power  and  great  glory"  (IVtfrtt.  xxiv:29-30). 
The  angel's  message  which  was  givenAvhen  He  ascended 
into  glory  is  now  to  be  accomplished.  "This  same 
Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven,  shall 
so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  Him  go  into 
heaven"  (Acts  bli).  The  words  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
addressed  to  the  Thessalonians  are  also  coming  to 
pass.  "The  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven 
with  His  mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire  taking  vengeance 
on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the 
Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  perish  with 
everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
and  from  the  glory  of  His  jower;  when  He  shall 
come  to  be  glorified  in  His  Saints  and  marvelled  at  in 
all  them  that  believed — in  that  day\(2  Thess.  i:7-^0). 
Impressive  words — "And  I  saw  heaven  opened." 
Heaven  was  opened  unto  Him  when  He  came  out  of 
Jordan  at  His  baptism.  While  His  baptism  fore- 
shadowed His  death  in  the  sinner's  place,  His  resur- 


THE  REVELATION  121 

rection  and  ascension  are  foreshadowed  in  coming  out 
of  the  waters  and  the  opened  heaven.  In  heaven  at 
the  right  hand  of  God  He  has  been  ever  since,  unseen 
by  human  eyes.  At  last  the  time  has  come  when 
God  is  to  make  His  enemies  as  the  footstool  of  His 
feet.  Heaven  is  opened  so  that  He  might  be  revealed 
in  His  glorious  majesty.  And  out  of  the  opened 
heavens  He  comes  forth.  "Gird  thy  sword  upon  thy 
thigh,  O  most  mighty,  with  thy  glory  and  majesty. 
And  in  thy  majesty  ride  prosperously,  because  of  truth 
and  meekness;  and  thy  right  hand  shall  teach  thee 
terrible  things.  Thine  arrows  are  sharp  in  the  heart 
of  the  King's  enemies,  whereby  the  people  fall  under 
thee"  (Ps.  xlv:3-5).  Thus  the  inspired  Psalmist 
foresaw  long  ago  the  great  event.  He  comes  as  the 
mighty  Victor  to  judge  in  righteousness  and  to  make 
war.  "And  behold  a  white  horse;  and  He  that  sat 
thereon  was  called  Faithful  and  True  and  in  righteous- 
ness He  doth  judge  and  make  war."  The  white  horse 
is  symbolical  of  victorious  warfare  and  glorious  con- 
quest. When,  seven^  years  before  the  first  seal  had 
been  opened  (vi:l),  a  rider  appeared  upon  a  white 
horse  achieving  great  conquest.  It  was  the  false 
King  who  was  seen  then  in  vision.  He  is  as  the  Beast 
on  earth  with  the  kings  and  their  armies  to  make 
war  with  the  coming  King  who  comes  out  of  the  opened 
heaven.  Glorious  sight!  He  is  coming  to  conquer 
and  to  claim  His  inheritance.  The  appointed  day  has 
come  in  which  God  "will  judge  the  world  in  right- 
eousness by  that  man,  whom  He  hath  ordained; 
whereof  He  has  given  assurance  unto  all  men  in  that 
He  hath  raised  Him  from  the  dead"  (Acts  xvii:31). 


122  THE   REVELATION 

Upon  His  head  are  many  diadems.  The  Saints  wear 
crowns,  but  He  to  whom  belongs  all  power  in  heaven 
and  on  earth  wears  many  dieidems.,  encircling  His  head 
in  dazzling  splendouiv/We  look  back  and  see  Him 
wearing  a  crown  of  *norns,  the  emblems  of  the  curse. 
What  a  scene  it  was  when  Pilate  led  Him  forth  with 
His  face  marred  and  dishonored  and  the  cruel  thorns 
piercing  His  blessed  brow!  And  now  God  has  crowned 
Him  with  supreme  authority  and  He  appears  in 
Glory  to  exercise  His  rights  over  the  earth.  It  will  be 
God's  vindication  of  His  ever  blessed  Son.  His 
Person  and  His  Work  had  been  denied  and  rejected. 
Boastingly  a  certain  leader  of  the  so-called  "new 
theology"*  preached  not  long  ago  on  "the^vajaigjnng 
Christ."  He  meant  by  it  the  denial  of  the  doctrine 
of  Christ,  His  essential  Deity,  the  virgin  birth,  His 
sacrificial  death  and  His  physical  resurrection.  Thus 
apostate  Christendom  rejects  His  Person,  and  the 
time  comes  during  the  great  apostacy  when  they  think 
He  is  a  vanished  Christ.  But  when  He  comes  as  the 
vanquishing  Christ,  then  His  Person  will  be  fully  vindi- 
cated by  that  glorious  event. 

"And  He  had  a  name  written,  that  no  man  knew  but 
Himself."  And  again  it  is  written  "His  Name  is  called 
the  Word  of  God."  And  on  His  vesture  and  on  His 

-^ -  -  -  

thigh  there  is  a  name  written  "King  of  kings  and 
Lord  of  lords."  The  jjnknown  Name  is  the  name  of  His 
essential  Deity. /No  human  name  can  express  what 
He  is  in  Hims«ft.  "No  man  knoweth  the  Son  but  the 


not  a  n»w  theology,  for  it  it  the  Deril'i  lie  as  old  as 
nor  is  it  theology,  but  only  foolish  rarnblings. 


THE  REVELATION  123 

Father."  His  name  "the  Word  of  God"  refers  us  to 
the  Gospel  of  John.  As  the  Word  He  is  the  express 
image  oiGod.  He  is  the  expression  of  God  in  His 
character^  His  thoughts  and  counsels.  And  the  third 
name  mentioned  "King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords" 
expresses  what  He  is  in  relation  to  the  earth. 

"And  He  was  clothed  with  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood" 
— "And  out  of  His  mouth  goeth  a  sharp  sword,  that 
with  it  He  should  smite  the  nations,  and  He  shall  rule 
them  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  He  treadeth  the  winepress 
of  the  fierceness  and  wrath  of  Almighty  God."  The 
blood  dipped  vesture  has  nothing  to  do  with  His  work 
on  the  cross.  He  is  described  in  Isaiah  lxiii:l-4  as 
the  One  who  has  the  day  of  vengeance  in  His  heart,  and 
this  passage  in  Isaiah  is  here  being  fulfilled.  The 
two  edged  sword  refers  us  to  Isaiah  xi:4.  "He  shall 
/smite  the  earth  with  the  rod  of  His  mouth  and  with  the 
breath  of  His  lips  shall  He  slay  the  wicked."  See  also 
2  Thess.  ii:8.  The  sentence  "He  shall  rule  them 
(the  nations)  with  a  rod  of  iron"  is  quoted  from  the 
Second  Psalm.  In  that  Psalm  we  read  that  God 
saitH^to  Him  "Ask  of  Me  and  I  will  give  thee  the 
nations  for  thine  inheritance  and  the  uttermost  parts 
of  the  earth  for  Thy  possession."  And  He  asked 
God  after  His  own  had  been  gathered  home,  and 
the  answer  is  here  seen.  He  comes  to  rule*  the  nations 
and  to  execute  the  wrath  of  Almighty  Qod  upon  His 
enemies.  But  He  is  not  alone.  The  arjnies  of  heaven 
follow  the  great  King.  They  are  like  Him  upon  white 
horses  and  are  clothed  in  fine  linens-white  and  clean. 


124  THE   REVELATION 

These  armies  are  not  angels.  It  is  true  angels  will  be 
with  Him  as  He  comes,  for  it  is  written  that  He  shall 
be  revealed  with  His  holy  angel^.  Angels  will  be  the 
reapers  in  the  judgment  (Matt.  xiii:39)  when  the  age 
ends  and  they  will  be  used  in  the  regathering  of  Israel. 
(Matt.  xxiv:31).  But  the  armies  here  are  not  angels. 
They  are  the  glorified^  Saints;  the  fine  linen,  white 
and  clean  identifies  tkekn  fi»MS)  In  faith  and  blessed 
assurance,  you  dear  reader  and  the  writer  can  say, 
we  shall  be  in  tjiat^bmpa'fiy  \jnth  Himself  as  leader. 
The  Son  brings  His  manysons  unto  glory  (Heb.  ii:10). 
What  a  sight  that  will  be  loFthe  earth-dwellers !  Each 
in  that  company  bears  His_ own  linage;  each  reflects 
His  ownjQlory.  Then  He  will  beTftaTvelled  at  in  them 
that  had  believed  (2  Thess.  i:10).  It  is  the  fulfillment 
of  what  St.  Paul  wrote  to  the  Colossians:  "When 
Christ,  who  is  our  life  shall  appear,  then  shall  ye  also 
_aj2j3ear  with  Him  in  Glory"  (Col.  iJK4).  The  first 
Prophet  mentioned  in  the  Uible,  Enoch,  had  predicted 
this  event  for  he  prophesied  "Behold  the  Lord  cometh 
with  ten  thousands  of  His  Saints  to  execute  judg- 
ment" (Jude,  verse  14).  Zechariah  saw  it  in  con- 
nection \vitK trie gathering  of  the  armies  against 
Jerusalem,  when  the  Lord  will  fight  against  those 
nations.  He  announced  "the  Lord  my  God  shall 
come  and  all  the  Saints  with  Thee"  (Zech.  xiv:5). 
And  the  Saints  who  come  with  Him  share  His  triumph, 
His  glory,  and  are  partakers  in  the  judgment  and  in  the 
reign  which  follows.  "Know  ye  not  that  the  Saints 
shall  judge  the  world?"  (1  Cor.  vi:2).  Oh!  beloved 
readers  what  a  future  is  ours !  To  be  with  Him 
forever  and  like  Him  in  glory  never-ending!  And 


THE  REVELATION  125 

the  Saints  are  seen  in  this  new  aspect  corresponding 
to  what  He  is  and  what  He  does.  We  shall  then  be 
one  with  Him  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  word. 

3.  The  Battle  of  Armageddon  and  the  Execution  of 
Wrath.  Verses  17-21.  And  what  a  sublime  vision 
comes  next!  An  angel  is  beheld  by  the  seer  standing 
in  the  sun  and  with  a  loud  voice  he  summons  the 
birds  that  fly  in  mid-heaven  to  gather  themselves 
to  the  jgreat  supper  of  God*  to  eat  the  flesh  of  the 
slain.  The  birds  of  prey  are  summoned  in  anticipation 
of  the  battle  of  Armageddon  which  is  then  imminent. 
What  a  contrast  this  great  supper  here  is  with  another 
great  supper  of  which  we  read  in  the  Gospel  of  Luke! 
(Chapter  xiv:  15-24).  One  had  said  to  the  Lord 
"Blessed  is  he  that  shall  eat  bread  in  the  Kingdom  of 
God."  Then  He  spoke  of  a  great  supper  which  one 
had  made,  inviting  the  guests  "Come!  for  all  things 
are  now  ready."  It  is  the  supper  of  love  and  grace 
which  God,  at  the  infinite  cost-price,  the  price  which 
His  Son  paid  on  the  cross,  provided  for  lost  sinners. 
For  almost  two  thousand  years  the  invitation  has 
gone  out  and  uncountable  multitudes  have  come  and 
have  partaken  of  the  riches  of  His  Grace.  But  the 
invitation  has  also  been  rejected.  Yea,  as  the  age 
draws  to  its  close  the  rejection  of  the  Gospel,  of  the 
cross  of  Christ,  the  precious  blood,  which  alone  can 
open  heaven  and  close  forever  the  gates  of  hell,  becomes 
more  universal  and  more  pronounced.  Not  alone 
are  the  great  masses  in  Christendom  rejecting  the 


*The  authorized  version  has  it  "th«  supper  of  the  great  (5od" 
which  is  incorrect;   it  is  "the  great  supper  of  God." 


126  THE  REVELATION 

Gospel  of  Grace  wilfully,  but  they  are  also  accepting 
Satan's  lies  and  delusions,  such  as  "salvation  by 
character"  and  the  wicked  anti-christian  cults  like 
"^Christian  Science" — "Theosophy"  and  the  "new 
theology 7*  "TftT  long  a*s  trie  Lord  leaves  His  Church 
on  earth  the  sound  of  the  true  Gospel  can  never  die 
out.  It  will  be  heard  as  long  as  God's  true  people, 
who  know  the  Gospel  and  love  it,  are  on  earth.  But 
after  the  rapture  of  the  Church  it  will  be  different. 
Then  all  who  received  not  the  love  of  the  truth  but  had 
pleasure  in  unrighteousness,  will  be  hardened;  the 
strong  delusion  which  comes  into  the  world  through 
Satan  and  his  demons  will  be  accepted  by  them. 
(2  Thess.  ii:10-12).  We  have  seen  this  class  in 
previous  chapters;  they  are  called,  "the  dwellers  on  the 
earth."  They  are  the  apostates  who  rejected  the 
Gospel,  refused  to  come  to  the  great  supper  of  God's 
love  and  even  the  severest  judgments  of  God  did  not 
lead  them  to  repentance.  Instead  of  crying  "God  be 
merciful  to  me,  a  sinner"  they  blasphemed  (ix:20-21). 
And  now  the  hour  of  judgment  has  come.  Another 
supper  is  spread.  An  angel,  standing  in  the  sun,  the 
place  of  supreme  authority,  gives  the  invitation  to  the 
birds  of  prey  to  be  ready  for  the  feast  which  a  holy  and 
righteous  God  will  have  for  them.  The  day  of  wrath 
has  come.  The  slain  of  the  Lord  shall  be  many 
(Isaiah  lxvi:16). 

And  down  on  earth  there  is  the  greatest  gathering 
of  armies  the  world  has  ever  seen.    The  Beast,  the—    j 
head  of  the  revived  Roman  empire,  is  the  commander- 
in-chief.    The  kings  of  tKe  earth  are  with  him.     Vast 
army    camps    on  all  sides.     The  great  valley  on  the 


THE  REVELATION  127 

plains  of  Esdraelon  is  filled  with  soldiers.  The  hills 
and  mountains  swarm  with  armed  men.  Satan's 
power  gathered  them  and  Satan  blinded  this  vast 
multitude  to  the  utmost.  The  unclean  spirits,  the 
demons  working  miracles,  has  brought  them  together 
to  the  battle  of  that  day.  And  the  hordes  from  the 
North,  under  the  Prince  of  Rosh  are  also  coming.  These 
vast  multitudes  from  the  North  and  beyond  Euphrates 
are  described  in  Ezekiel  xxxviii-xxxix.  And  in  that 
Old  Testament  prophecy  we  find  a  statement  which 
reminds  us  of  the  great  supper  of  God  here  in  Revela- 
tion. "Speak  unto  every  feathered  fowl,  and  to  every 
beast  of  the  field,  assemble  yourselves  and  come; 
gather  yourselves  on  every  side  to  my  sacrifice  that  I 
do  sacrifice  for  you,  even  a  great  sacrifice  upon  the 
mountains  of  Israel,  that  ye  may  eat  flesh,  and  drink 
blood"  (Ez.  xxxix:17).  "Thus  shall  ye  be  filled  at 
my  table  with  horses  and  chariots,  with  mighty  men, 
and  with  all  men  of  war,  saith  the  Lord  God"  (verse 
20). 

Zechariah  xiv:2  is  now  being  fulfilled.  While  the 
vast  armies  are  covering  valleys  and  hills,  the  objective 
will  be  Jerusalem.  All  nations  are  gathered  against 
her.  "For  I  will  gather  all  nations  against  Jerusalem 
to  battle;  and  the  city  shall  be  taken,  and  the  houses 
rifled,  and  the  women  ravished;  and  half  of  the  city 
shall  go  forth  into  captivity,  and  the  residue  of  the 
people  shall  not  be  cut  off  from  the  city."  Jerusalem's 
distress  is  the  greatest  of  her  history.  And  the  faithful 
remnant  looks  up  for  the  promised  deliverance.  The 
Beast,  the  Emperor  of  the  empire  and  the  second 
called  also  the  false  Prophet, 


128 

act  together  in  this  final  drama.     They  are  seen  to- 
gether in  verse  20. 

And  now  as  these  armies  are  massed  together  the 

great  battle  of  Armageddon  takes  place.    They  are 

ready  to  make  war  against  Him,  who  conies  through 

heaven's    portals.     Satan   has   been    the   usurper   for 

ulin^gt  ffrflpo  years.     As  god  of  this  age  he  controlled 

the  kingdoms  of  this  earth;  he  held  them  in  his  grasp. 

He  whose  right  it  is,  who  bought  the  earth  with  His 

blood  is  about  to  claim  the  earth  and  to  receive  the 

kingdom.      And  Satan  makes    a    great     attempt    to 

/dispute  His   authority.      And   military   Christendom, 

/twr^ntj|p  flfltjrmc  who  even  now  as  we  write  murder 

/  each  other  for  the  sake  of  having  dominion,  are  Satan's 

I    instruments    in   this.     He   goads   them   on   with   the 

\  supremest  hatred  to  fight  the  King  of  kings,  and  so  to 

speak,  keep  Him  back  from  taking  possession  of  the 

kingdoms   of   this   world.     Armageddon   means    "the 

mount  of  slaughter."     It  is  the  great  plain  of  Esdraelon 

which  has  been  described  as  follows: 

"It  is  called,  by  way  of  eminence,  'the  great  plain' 
in  Scripture,  and  elsewhere,  'the  great  plain,'  or  'field 
oTEsdraelon,'  'the  field  of  Megiddo.'  the  'Galilean 
plain,'  which  we  found  one  vast  meadow  coverecfwitn 
the  richest  pasture.  It  has  been  a  chosen  place  for 
encampment  in~every  contest  from  the  days  of  Nabu- 
chonodosor,  king  of  Assyria,  to  the  disastrous  march 
of  Napoleon  Buonaparte  into  Syria.  Jews,  Gentiles, 
Saracens,  Christian  Crusaders,  and  anti-Christian 
Frenchmen,  Egyptians,  Persians,  Druses,  Turks  and 
Arabs,  warriors  of  every  nation  that  is  under  heaven, 
have  pitched  their  tents  on  the  plain  of  Esdraelon, 


THE  REVELATION  129 

and  have  beheld  the  banners  of  their  nations  wet  with 
the  dew  of  Tabor  and  Hermon." 

See  also  Joel  iii:2,  9-12.  And  then  heaven  has 
opened.  The  prayers  of  the  Jewish  remnant  are 
answered.  Triumphantly  they  will  say  as  they  see  the 
heavenly  glory,  the  returning  Shekinah  "Lo,  this  is 
our  God;  we  have  waited  for  Him,  andne  will  save  us; 
this  is  the  Lord;  we  have  waited  for  Him,  we  will  be 
glad  and  rejoice  in  His  salvation"  (Is.  xxv:9).  "Then 
shall  the  Lord  go  forth,  and  fight  against  those  nations" 
(Zech.  xiv:2).  The  battle  does  not  consume  much 
time.  Sennacherib's  army  was  suddenly  smitten  and  \Vx\ 
they  all  perished  and  here  are  armies  in  comparison  " 
with  which  Sennacherib's  forces  are  but  child's  play. 
One  mighty  blow  from  above,  one  flash  of  glory  and 
all  their  strength  and  power  is  gone.  The  stojjfcghas 
fallen  (Dan,  ii).  With  one  blow  the  dominion  and 
misrule  of  the  Gentiles  is  at  an  end.  The  words 
our  Lord  spoke  while  on  earth  "on  whom  this  stone 
falls  it  shall  grind  him  to  powder"  have  been  fulfilled 


(Matt.  xxi:44).  Such  is  the  awful  fate  which  for  "Chris- 
tian civilization  (?)"  and  "Kultur  (!)"  and  a  Christ-less 
Christendom  is  rapidly  approaching.  Oh!  that  the 
kings  and  rulers  would  hear  His  word.  "Be  wise 
now  therefore,  O  ye  kings;  be  instructed  ye  judges 
of  the  earth.  Serve  the  Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice 
with  trembling.  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  He  be  angry  and 
ye  perish  in  the  way^yeT  a  Tittle  and  His  wrath  will 
be  kindled"  (Ps.  ii:9-12).  But  they  will  not  hear. 
They  cast  away  His  Word  and  ere  long  the  times  of 
the  Gentiles  will  end  forever  in  this  indescribable 
cutastrophe.  And  while  the  armies  perish  as  to  the 


130  THE  REVELATION 

body  and  God's  wrath  sweeps  the  earth  clean  of  the 
mass  of  apostates,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that 
know  not  God  and  that  obey  not  the  Gospel,  the 
jeast  (the  head  of  the  empire)  and  the  false  Prophet 
jsecond  Beast  of  chapter  xiii),  that  is  the  false 
^Messiah,  the  Anti-christ.  are  cast  alive  into  a  lake  of 
fire  burning  with  brimstone.*  They  were  not  anni- 
hilated for  a  thousand  years  later  we  still  find  them 
there  (xx:10);  and  still  they  are  in  existence  and  will 
ever  be  as  individuals  in  that  place  of  eternal  punish- 
ment. And  those  that  were  slain  as  to  the  body  will 
be  raised  after  the  millennium  and  also  share  the 
place  with  the  two,  whom  they  followed  and  worshipped. 

Chapter  XX.  4.  The  Binding  of  Satan.  Verses  1-3. 
And  now  Satan,  who  was  cast  out  of  heaven  three 
and  one-half  years  before  the  visible  and  glorious 
coming  of  the  Lord,  and  who  has  been  on  earth  in 
person,  though  not  beheld  by  human  eyes,  is  now 
seized  to  be  put  into  his  prison  for  a  thousand  years. 
And  the  demons,  who  were  liberated  by  Satan  (chapter 
ix)  are  likewise  shut  up  into  the  bottomless  pit,  though 
this  is  not  mentioned  because  itisjsglf-evicjent.  The 
terms  "key"  and  ugreat  chain"  are  of  course  figurative. 
He  is  mentioned  in  all  his  infamous  titles.  He  is 
called  dragon  on  account  of  his  horrible  cruelty  and 
vileness,  the  old  serpent  on  account  of  his  malicious- 
ness, guile  and  deception;  he  is  the  devil,  the  arch- 
tempter  of  man,  and  Satan  because  he  is  the  accuser 


The  King  of  the  North,  the  great  invader  (the  Assyrian  of 
the  end-time)  will  also  be  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.     See  Isaiah 


THE  REVELATION  131 

of  the  brethren,  the  one  who  opposed  Christ  and  His 
people.  He  is  now  dethroned  as  the  god  of  this  age, 
completely  stripped  of  his  power  and  his  dethrone- 
ment means  the  complete  enthronement  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  And  here  is  the  important  statement 
that  this  being,  the  once  glorious  Lucifer,  the  Son  of  the 
morning  and  light-bearer,  who  fell  through  pride, 
has  been  the  deceiver  of  the  nations.  It  would  take 
pages  to  describe  his  deceptions  and  his  lies.  Never 
before  has  he  been  so  successful  as  now,  blinding  the 
eyes  of  them  that  believe  not.  Idolatry  and  all  the 
perversions  of  the  Truth  of  God  are  his  work.  He  is 
the  author  and  supporter  of  every  cult  which  denies  /-— * 
Christ.  He  is  the  real  parent  of  Higher  criticism,  / 
Mormonism,  Russellism,  Christian  Science,  Spiritism,  jL 
Theosophy,  Romanism,  and  all  other  isms  which  P/^ 
deny  the  Truth  of  God.  No  blessing  can  be  expected, 
no  millennium  for  this  earth,  till  he  is  bound  and  thus 
completely  restrained  from  deceiving  the  nations. 
And  this  is  done.  What  a  happy  day  it  will  be  when  he 
is  shut  up.  Interesting  and  helpful  in  connection 
with  these  opening  verses  of  our  chapter  are  the  words 
we  find  in  Isaiah's  little  apocalypse  (Is.  xxiv-xxvii). 
"And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day  (the  day  of  the 
Lord's  glorious  manifestation)  that  the  Lord  shall 
punish  the  host  of  the  high  ones  on  high,  and  the 
kings  of  the  earth  upon  the  earth.  And  they  shall 
be  gathered  together  as  prisoners  are  gathered  in 
the  pit,  and  shall  be  shut  up  in  the  prison,  and  after 
many  days  shall  they  be  visited"  (Is.  xxiv:21-22). 

5.   The  Reign  of  Christ  and  His  Saints  for  a  Thousand 
Years.     Verses  4-6.     Throne?  are  seen   next  by  the 


132  THE  REVELATION 

Seer.  "And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them 
and  judgment  was  given  unto  them."  Daniel  also 
saw  thrones  in  connection  with  the  judgment  of  the 
Beast,  but  nothing  is  said  of  those  occupying  the 
thrones  in  Daniel's  vision.  Here  we  have  the  com- 
plete revelation,  and  several  times  the  blessed  state- 
ment is  made  that  Christ  and  His  Saints  shall  reign 
with  Him  'for  a  thousand  years.  The  new  age  in 
which  all  things  are  put  in  subjection  of  His  feet,  the 
personal  reign  of  Christ,  in  which  all  His  redeemed 
people  have  a  share,  begins.  It  will  i*st  a  thousand 
years.  Six  times  we  read  of  the  thousand  y€5rs  in  this 
chapter.  Because  this  coming  age  will  last  a  thousand 
years  it  has  been  called  by  the  Latin  word  "millennium." 
Not  a  few  have  made  the  astonishing  declaration  that 
such  a  period  of  time-<rqTrrrg--which  Christ  and  His 
Saints  reign  over/the  earth,  has  but  little  foundation 
in  the  Scriptures.  Those  wfto  believe  inNt  are  often 

^J.  \.  ^^w 

branded  as  "CftiiHasts"  and  "dreamers"  or  Tanatics." 
It  is  quite  true  that  the  only  place  m  which  the  duration^ 

^ 


of  such  an  age  is  given  is  this  great  final  Book  of 
lation.  And  that  should  be  sufficient  for  any  Christian 
to  believe  in  such  an  age  of  a  thousand  years.  However, 
such  an  age  of  unspeakable  blessing  and  glory  for  this 
earth  is  revealed  throughout  the  entire  Bible.  The 
Old  Testament  contains  hundreds  of  unfulfilled  promises 
of  blessing  for  Israel,  the  nations  of  the  earth  and  even 
for  all  creation,  which  have  never  seen  even  a  partial 
fulfillment.  Isaiah  is  full  of  such  promises.  In  the 
New  Testament  there  are  also  passages  which  clearly 
teach  and  point  to  such  an  age  of  glory  for  thii  earth. 
Read  Matt.  xix:28;  Acts  iii:19-21;  Romans  viii:19-23; 


THE  REVELATION  133 

Eph.  i:10;  Col.  i;20;  PhiU_Ji&^l.  What  awful 
dTsheartening^pessimTsm  it  would  be  if  we  had  to 
believe,  that  the  terrible  conditions  prevailing  on  the 
earth  now,  conditions  which  have  steadily  become 
worse,  were  to  continue  and  that  man's  work  is  to  \..\ 
remedy  them  and  produce  something  better.  This 
earth  has  a  bright  and  glorious  future.  Nations 
will  some  day  no  longer  turn,  as  they  do  now,  their 
plowshares  into  swords,  but  change  their  swords  into 
plowshares.  Righteousness  and  peace  will  surely 
kiss  each  other  and  creation's  curse  and  travail  pains 
will  end. 

But  when?  Never  as  long  as  the  great  unfold! ngs 
of  this  book,  which  we  have  briefly  followed,  have 
not  come  to  pass.  There  can  be  no  better  day  for  the 
earth  as  long  as  He  is  absent  and  not  on  the  throne, 
which  belongs  to  Him.  But  when  He  comes,  when  He 
has  appeared  in  glory  and  in  majesty,  then  the  earth 
will  find  her  rest  and  groaning  creation  will  be  delivered. 
As  we  do  not  write  on  the  great  blessings  and  glories 
to  come  when  He  comes,  we  must  refrain  from  follow- 
ing these  things.  Here  in  our  book  the  revelation 
given  that  Christ  shall  reign  for  a  tV.^^^^  y^aro  an<j 
W|fl  Ra?nta  flftjill  r^on  with  Him.  Let  us  notice  briefly 
the  different  classes"  mentioned  who  are  associatec 
with  Christ  in  His  personal  reign.  The  entire^  com- 
pany  of  the  redeemed,  as  we  saw  them  under  the 
symbolical  figure  oi  the  twenty-four  Elders,  occupying 
thrones  and  wearing  crowns,  are  undoubtedly  meant 
by  the  first  statement  "they  sat  upon  them  and  judg- 
ment was  given  unto  them."  They  Judge  with  Him. 
This  is  the  raptured  company  whom  we  saw  first  in 


134  THE  REVELATION 

glory  in  chapters  iv  and  v;  and  we,  dear  fellow-believer, 
belong  to  this  company.  Then  Jollow  the  jnartyrs, 
which  we  saw  under  the  fifth  seal  (v[:9-ll)~uAnd  I 
saw  the  souls  of  them  that  had  been  beheaded  on 
account  of  the  testimony  of  Jesus  and  for  the  Word  of 
God."  Then  we  have  a  third  company.  "And  I 
saw  those  who  had  not  worshipped  the  Beast,  nor  his 
image,  and  had  not  receiyecTiii^maiK  'bn  tneir  fore- 
head, or  in  their  hands."  These  are  tHe  other  martyrs 
who  were  slain  during  the  great  tribulation,  wEenthe 
set  up  the  image  and  demanded  its  worship 


(xiii).     They  lived  and  reign  with  Christ  a  thousand       J 
years.     The   first   resurrection  is  passed  ancTall  who    s  s 


have  part  in  it  reign  with  Christ,  are  priests  of  God  and 
of  Christ  and  shall  reign  with  Him  a  thousand  years.    / 
Oh!  wonderful  grace  which  has  saved  us!  GracewEicly   s 
Njas  saved  us  in  Christ  and  through  His  ever  precious    ^ 
blood  delivered  us  from  eternal  perdition!  Grace  which 
saved  us  from   Satan's  power,  from   sin  and   all  its 
curse!     Grace  which  has  lifted  into  such  heights  of 
Glory  and  has  made  us  the  sons  of  God  and  the  joint- 
heirs  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ!     And  how  little  after 
all  we  enter  into  all  these  things,  which  ought  to  be  our 
daily  joy  and  delight.     How  little  we  know  of  the 
power  of  the  coming  glory  of  being  with  Christ  and 
reigning  with  Him!     How  we  do  cling  to  the  passing 
things  of  a  fast  jpassing  age.     May  the  Holy  Spirit 
bless  us  all  dear  readers  as  we  look  forward  into  the 
coming  glory  of  sharing  the  glorious  inheritance  of 
our  Saviour  Lord  and  may  our  lives  tell  out  the  wonder- 
ful story  that  we  are  the  joint-heirs  of  Christ. 
And  even  if  we  were  now  to  enlarge  upon  the 


THE   REVELATION  135 

of  Christ,  the  throne  of  Christ,  the  dominion  of  Christ, 
the  glory  of  Christ,  the  righteous  judgments  and 
government  of  the  King,  it  would  be  but  with  a  feeble 
nfl '  with  a  stammering  tongue.  Not  the  half 
can  be  told.  But  this  we  know  we  shall  be  with  Him 
and  enjoy  with  Him  His  glorious  reign  and  inheritance 
The  rest  of  the  dead  mentioned  in  the  fifth  verse  are 
the  wicked  dead;  we  shall  hear  more  of  them  at  the 
close  of  this  chapter. 

NINTH     DIVISION:      AFTER   THE   THOUSAND    YEARS. 

THE    VISION    OF   THE    NEW  JERUSALEM. 

Chapters  XX:7-XXII:5 

The  Millennium,  the  thousand  years'  reign  of  Christ 
with  His  Saints,  will  be  earth's  jubilee.  From  certain 
sides,  especially  the  Seventh  Day  Adventists,.  the  state- 
ment is  made  in  our  days  that  the  world  is  soon  going 
to  end,  that  God  will  destroy  the  earth  by  fire  and 
thus  end  all.  This  is  an  unscriptural  assertion.  If  it 
were  true  and  the  world  would  come  to  an  end  this 
year,  or  next  year,  the  last  word  would  belong  to  Satan, 
and  God  would  confess  Himself  defeated.  The 
blessed  redemption  work  of  our  Lord  would  then 
likewise  be  proven  insufficient  to  put  things  back  into 
the  condition  before  sin  entered  the  world.  God  can- 
not permit  the  destruction  of  the  earth  in  the  con- 
dition in  which  it  is  now.  And  as  already  stated 
the  entire  Bible  bears  witness  to  it  that  there  will 
come  a  better  day  for  this  earth  before  the  predicted 
destruction  by  fire  comes.  And  that  promised  age  of 
blessing  and  glory  comes  when  the  King,  our  Lord, 


136  THE  REVELATION 

has  come  and  reigns  in  righteousness  with  His  Saints 
over  the  earth.  "For  He  must  reign  till  He  hath  put 
all  enemies  under  His  feet.  The  last  enemy  that 
shall  be  destroyed  is  death.  For  He  hath  put  all 
things  under  His  feet.  But  when  He  saith  all  things 
are  put  under  Him,  it  is  manifest  that  He  is  excepted, 
who  did  put  all  things  under  Him"  (1  Cor.  xv:25-27). 
In  that  age  which  begins,  as  we  have  seen,  with  His 
visible  manifestation,  the  unfulfilled  predictions  of 
the  Old  Testament  will  find  their  literal  and  most 
blessed  fulfillment.  "In  His  days  shall  the  righteous 
flourish;  and  abundance  of  peace,  so  long  as  the 
moon  endureth.  He  shall  have  dominion  also  from 
sea  to  sea  and  from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the 
earth"  (Ps.  lxxii:7-8).  "And  He  shall  judge  among 
the  nations,  and  shall  rebuke  many  people,  and  they 
shall  beat  their  swords  into  plowshares  and  their 
spears  into  pruning  hooks,  nation  shall  not  lift  sword 
up  against  nation  neither  shall  they  learn  war  any 
more"  (Isaiah  ii:4).  "The  wolf  and  the  lamb  shall 
feed  together,  and  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the 
bullock,  and  dust  shall  be  the  serpents  meat;  they 
shall  not  hurt  or  destroy  in  all  my  holy  mountain, 
saith  the  Lord"  (Isaiah  lxv:25).  And  many  other 
prophecies  could  be  added  which  will  then  find  a 
literal  accomplishment.  Long  ago  Jehovah  had  said 
"But  as  truly  as  I  live  all  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with 
the  glory  of  the  Lord"  (Numb.  xiv:21).  And  this 
utterance  of  an  Almighty  Lord  will  find  its  fulfill- 
ment in  the  day  when  He  reigns.  "For  the  earth 
shall  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea"  (Hab.  ii:14).  "The 


THE  REVELATION  137 

whole  earth  is  full  of  His  glory"  (Isaiah  vi:3).  The 
earth  will  be  full  of  His  glory  and  there  will  be  an 
increase  and  a  blessing  which  no  pen  can  describe. 

But  this  great  and  glorious  future  of  the  earth  is 
not  a  permanent  state.  If  man  had  thought  this 
out  and  invented  such  a  future  for  this  earth,  man 
might  have  added,  that  in  this  blessed  condition  the 
earth  would  remain  forever.  But  no  human  mind  could 
think  out  all  this;  what  follows  now  shows  us  that 
we  have  here  revelation. 

Chapter  XX.  1.  Satan  Loosed.  The  Last  Revolt. 
Verses  7-9.  Satan  who  was  put  into  the  abyss  a 
thousand  years  before,  is  now  loosed  out  of  his  prison. 
God  permits  him  to  come  forth  once  more.  Who 
could  have  ever  thought  of  such  a  thing!  The  arch- 
enemy who  had  done  his  vile  and  wicked  work  among 
the  human  race  for  a  thousand  years,  put  at  last  into 
the  place  of  perfect  restraint,  and  now  loosed  once 
more  to  continue,  for  a  brief  season,  his  work!  And 
he  finds  nations  ready  for  his  deception,  not  a  few, 
but  a  number  "as  the  sand  of  the  sea."  God  permits 
Satan  to  come  out  of  his  prison,  so  that  the  absolute 
corruption  of  man  might  be  demonstrated.  Alan  has 
been  tried  and  tested  under  every  possible  condition. 
He  has  failed  in  every  age.  He  failed  under  the  law 
and  he  failed  even  more  in  the  grace-dispensation, 
and  now  under  the  most  glorious  conditions,  during 
the  millennium,  when  the  Lord  Himself  is  known 
in  all  the  earth  and  reigns  in  righteousness,  when 
want  and  nearly  all  the  sorrows  of  a  ruined  creation 
ar.e  banished,  when  there  is  peace  on  earth,  man  also 


138  THE   REVELATION 

fails  and  does  not  fully  respond  to  a  gracious  Lord. 
But  here  is  a  difficulty  which  many  have.  Many  a 
sincere  post-millennialist,  who  studied  the  pre-millen- 
nial  coming  of  our  Lord,  has  asked  this  question, 
"if  the  whole  world  is  converted  during  the  millen- 
nium, how  is  it  then  that  Satan  finds  nations  ready 
to  side  with  him  after  the  thousand  year  reign  of  Christ 
and  then  leads  them  on  to  destruction?"  The  difficulty 
is  far  from  being  as  great  as  it  is  generally  made.  In 
fact  it  is  easily  explained.  As  far  as  Israel  is  con- 
cerned, the  all  Israel  living,  when  He  comes,  the  trusting 
remnant  of  Israel,  they  will  constitute  the  blessed  nation 
in  possession  of  all  her  promised  blessings.  They  are 
not  mentioned  as  siding  with  Satan.  No  more  back- 
sliding for  that  nation.  Isaiah  lix:20-21  vouches  for 
this.  "And  the  Redeemer  shall  come  to  Zion  (His 
second  coming),  and  unto  them  that  turn  from  trans- 
gression in  Jacob,  saith  the  Lord.  As  for  me,  this  is 
my  covenant  with  them,  saith  the  Lord.  My  Spirit 
that  is  upon  thee,  and  my  words  which  I  have  put  in 
thy  mouth,  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth,  nor 
out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed,  nor  out  of  the  mouth 
of  thy  seed's  seed,  saith  the  Lord,  from  henceforth  and 
forever."  "Neither  will  I  hide  my  face  any  more  from 
them  for  I  have  poured  out  my  Spirit  upon  the  house  of 
Israel,  saith  the  Lord  God"  (Ez.  xxxix:29). 

And  the  Gentile  nations  in  the  beginning  of  the 
millennium  will  also  be  converted.  However  the 
human  conditions  of  the  earth  will  continue.  The 
nations  are  not  in  a  glorified  state.  Marriage  will 
continue.  Children  will  be  born  during  the  millen- 
nium. Indeed  the  earth  will  be  populated  as  never 


THE  REVELATION  139 

before.  Billions  of  human  beings  can  be  sustained 
upon  our  planet  and  they  will  come  into  existence  by 
natural  generation  during  the  golden  age  of  glory. 
Wars  will  be  unknown.  No  longer  will  the  flower 
of  manhood  be  cruelly  murdered  by  human  govern- 
t  ments  in  that  legalized  wholesale  murder  called  war. 

^*"/-»  Earthquakes  will  no  longer  sweep  thousands  upon 
thousands  into  an  untimely  grave,  nor  can  famines  and 
pestilences  claim  their  millions.  Nor  will  there  be 
the  great  infant  mortality.  Physical  death  will  no 
longer  be  the  universal  rule,  but  rather  an  exception. 
(See  Isaiah  lxv:20.)  Now  every  child  born  during  the 
millennium  of  the  converted  nations  comes  into  the 
world  the  same  as  the  children  in  the  present  age. 
It  is  still  true,  conceived  and  born  in  sin.  And  it  is 

/A  equally  true,  they  must  be  bornjigain^  And  as  many 
children  of  pious,  godly  parents  in  this  age  are  Gospel 
hardened  and  live  on  in  sin,  though  they  hear  the  Gospel 
and  see  its  power,  so  in  the  millennium,  an  enormous 
multitude  will  see  the  glory,  live  under  the  best  and 
most  glorious  conditions  the  earth  has  seen  since  the 
fall  of  man,  and  yet  they  will  be  Glory  hardened  and 
only  submit  to  the  righteousness  of  that  age  and  yield 
obedience  through  fear,  for  disobedience  to  the  govern- 
ing laws  of  the  kingdom  on  earth,  will  mean  sudden 
and  certain  judgment.  It  is  not  the  obedience  pro- 
duced by  a  believing,  trusting  heart,  but  only  a  feigned 
obedience.  Three  prophetic  Psalms  which  speak  of 
these  millennial  conditions  make  this  clear,  if  we 
consider  the  marginal  reading.  "As  soon  as  they  hear 
of  Me,  they  shall  obey  Me,  the  strangers  shall  yield 
feigned  obedience  unto  Me"  (Ps.  xviii:44).  "Say 


140  THE  REVELATION 

unto  God,  How  terrible  art  Thou  in  Thy  works! 
Through  the  greatness  of  Thy  power  shall  Thine 
enemies  yield  feigned  obedience  unto  Thee"  (Ps.lxvi:3). 
"The  haters  of  the  Lord  yield  feigned  obedience  unto 
Him,  but  their  time  might  have  endured  forever" 
(lxxxi;15).  Study  these  Psalms  in  their  millennial 
bearing.  Thus  many  nations  submit  while  sin  is  in 
their  heart  and  in  their  blindness  they  long  and  hope 
for  the  day  when  they  may  cast  off  the  restraint.* 
And  that  day  comes  when  Satan  is  loosed  out  of  his 
prison  to  deceive  these  nations  which  are  in  the  four 
quarters  of  the  earth.  Nor  must  we  overlook  the 
fact  that  before  all  this  happened,  throughout  the 
millennium,  the  nations  were  warned  of  the  pos- 
sibility and  the  consequences  of  such  a  revolt.  As 
already  quoted  in  Isaiah  lxv:25  we  read  that  while 
the  curse  is  removed  from  animal  creation,  the  serpent 


*In  the  Millennium,  the  heavenly  is  displayed  in  connection 
with  the  earthly.  The  glory  of  God  is  manifested,  so  that  the 
earth  is  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  it  as  the  waters  cover  the 
sea.  JjjghlfiflagngM  rule8,_ajjd_£viLJ^  afraid  to  lift  its  head. 
The  curse  is  taken  from  the  ground,  which  respona?>witC^on3r- 
ous  fruitfullness.  Amid  all  this,  the  spiritual  condition  is  by  no 
means  in  correspondence  with  the  outward  blessing.  Even  the 
manifest  connections  of  righteousness  and  prosperity  cannot 
avail  to  make  men  love  righteousness;  nor  the  goodness  of 
God,  though  evidenced  on  every  side,  to  bring  men  to  repentance 
At  the  "four  corners  of  the  earth,"  retreating  as  far  as  possible, 
from  the  central  glory,  there  are  still  those  who  represent  Israel's 
old  antagonists,  and  thus  are  called  by  their  names  "Gog  and 
Magog."  Nor  are  they  remnants,  but  masses  of  populations 
brought  together  by  sympathetic  hatred  of  God  and  His  people — 
crowding  alike  out  of  light  into  the  darkness:  a  last  and  terrible 
answer  to  the  question,  "Lord,  what  is  man?" — F.  W.  G. 


THE  REVELATION  141 

alone  remains  in  the  place  where  the  curse  has  placed 
that  creature.  "And  dust  shall  be  the  serpent's 
meat."  The  serpent  continues  crawling  in  the  dust, 
a  warning  to  the  nations  that  the  age  of  glory  and 
blessing  will  end  in  a  manifestation  of  Satan.  And 
there  is  still  another  warning  voice  during  the  thousand 
year  reign  of  Christ.  "And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
that  from  one  new  moon  to  another,  and  from  one 
sabbath  unto  another,  shall  all  flesh  come  to  worship 
before  Me,  saith  the  Lord.  And  they  shall  go  forth 
and  look  upon  the  carcases  of  the  men  that  have 
transgressed  against  Me;  for  their  worm  shall  not 
die,  neither  shall  their  fire  be  quenched,  and  they 
shall  be  an  abhorring  unto  all  flesh"  (Is.  lxvi:23-24). 
Here  we  read  that  during  the  millennium  the  nations 
will  go  up  to  Jerusalem  to  worship  there.  And  after 
they  have  done  so  and  beheld  the  visible  glory  of  the 
Lord,  which  will  be  seen  in  and  above  the  city,  they 
will  be  led  out  to  look  upon  a  most  awful  scene.  There 
at  one  side  of  Jerusalem  is  a  deep  valley.  In  looking 
down  they  behold  the  carcases  of  the  men  who  trans- 
gressed against  the  Lord.  Their  bodies  are  seen; 
a  never  dying  worm  gnaws  there  and  an  unquenchable 
fire  burns.  An  awful  picture  of  another  place,  where 
the  worm  does  not  die  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched. 
It  is  a  solemn  warning  to  these  nations  that  the  story 
of  sin  and  apostasy  is  not  yet  completed. 
/Gog  and  Magog  here  must  not  be  identified  with\ 

/Gog  and  Magog  of  Ezekiel  xxxviii  and  xxxix.     The    \ 
invasion  of  Israel's  land  described  by  Ezekiel  took  place     ) 

\bcfore  the  millennium,  it  it  pre-millenniaL    Gog  and  / 
wlagog  here  must  not  be  taken  in  a  literal  meaning/ 


142  /,      THE  REVELATION 


it  is  used  metaphorically.  The  invasion  before  the 
millennium  is  the  prototype  of  this  final  revolt.  Utterly 
blinded,  as  these  multitudes  must  be,  they  follow 
willingly  Satan's  leadership.  Gathering  from  the  four 
corners  of  the  earth  they  compass  the  camp  of  the 
Saints  and  the  beloved  city.  The  beloved  city  is 
Jerusalem.  The  "camp  of  the  Saints"  may  mean  the 
heavenly  Saints.  The  redeemed  are  above  the  earth 
in  the  new  Jerusalem  and  yet  they  have  also  access 
to  the  earth  and  are  with  the  King  in  the  government 
of  the  earth.  Nothing  is  said  about  the  camp  of  the 
Saints  and  the  beloved  city.  They  know  the  out- 
come. God  permits  the  invading  hosts  with  Satan 
at  the  head  to  compass  them.  But  suddenly  God 
acts.  A  swift  and  awful  judgment  overtakes  them. 
Solemnly  brief  is  the  announcement  "fire  came  down 
jrom  God  out  of  heaven  and  devoured  them."  Not  a 
wicked  one  is  left;  the  earth  is  completly  purged  of 
evil-doers. 

2.  The  Devil's  Eternal  Doom.  Verse  10.  It  was 
the  final  attempt  of  the  dethroned  usurper  to  regain 
his  lost  dominion.  For  thousands  of  years,  in  the 
all-wise  purposes  of  God,  he  was  permitted  to  be  the 
jjrince  of  the  power  of  the  air  and  the  god  of  this  age. 
We  followed  mirhisLuiy  in  this  buuk  and  saw  how"lie 
was  cast  out  of  heaven  upon  the  earth  where  he 
produced  the  great  tribulation.  Then  we  beheld 
him  stripped  of  all  his  power.  The  kingdoms  of  the 
world  became  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  the  old 
serpent  was  cast  into  the  abyss  where  he  remained  a 
thou8and_y_€ars.  Loosed  for  a  little  season  he  tried 
o"hcr  more  to  become  earth's  master.  And  fire  out  of 


THE  REVELATION  143 

heaven  devoured  the  nations  who  had  revolted.  The 
devil  receives  his  final  doom.  He  is  cast  into  the 
lake  of  fire  and  brimstone.  He  goes  to  a  fixed  place, 
a  locality  where  unspeakable  and  eternal  torment  is 
his  portion.  This  place  is  prepared  for  the  devil 
and  his  angels  (Matt.  xxv:41).  And  all  the  wicked 
will  share  that  place.  And  he  finds  others  there. 
The  first  beings  who  were  cast  into  this  final  abode 
were  the  Beast  (the  emperor  of  the  Roman  empire, 
the  little  horn  of  Dan.  vii),  and  the  false  prophet 
(the  personal  Anti-christ,  the  second  Beast  of  Chapter 
xiii).  He  finds  them  there.  They  were  put  there  a 
thousand  years  before  and  as  they  are  there  as  persons 
it  shows  they  were  not  annihilated.  Annihilation  is 
an  unscriptural  and  evil  doctrine.  And  they  shall  be 
tormented  day  and  night  for  ever  and  ever — for  the  ages 
of  ages — never  ending — for  all  eternity.  What  a 
solemn  truth  this  is!  Yet  men  meddle  with  it  and 
deny  future  punishment,  conscious  punishment  and 
eternal  punishment.  Besides  these  three  persons, 
the  nations  who  were  judged  and  condemned  in  the 
beginning  of  the  millennium,  when  the  Son  of  Man 
sat  upon  the  throne  of  His  glory  (Matt.  xxv:31)  are 
also  in  the  Lake  of  Fire. 

"There  is  an  awful  fitness  in  the  sovereign  arrange- 
ment of  the  holy  God,  that  the  devil,  and  those  who, 
by  persistence  in  sin,  had  made  themselves  more  and 
more  like  him,  should  spend  their  eternity  together — 
and  that  eternity  in  a  place  shut  out  from  all  that  is 
good,  which  they  had  hated,  and  in  outer  darkness, 
where  there  is  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  And 
of  this  hell-fire,  into  which  those  wicked  living  on 


144  THE  REVELATION 

the  earth  were  cast  when  Christ  had  judged  them, 
the  language  used  is,  that  it  was  "prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels."  But  these  words  seem  cer- 
tainly to  imply  that  he  had  not  then  been  cast  into 
it."* 

3.  The  Great  White  Throne  Judgment.  Verses  11—15. 
And  now  we  reach  the  last  great  judgment  scene  of 
God's  holy  Word.  Much  confusion  prevails  among 
Christians  about  this  judgment.  There  is  no  such 
thing  in  the  Word  of  God  as  a  universal  judgment, 
nor  is  there  a  universal  resurrection.  Every  human 
Deing  which  died  will  be  raised  at  some  time.  However 
our  Lord  spoke  (John  _v:28)  of  two  resurrections,  a 
resurrection  unto  life  and  a  resurrection  unto  damna- 
tion. The  Revelation  speaks  of  the  first  resurrection. 
"This  is  the  first  resurrection"  (xx:5).  And  before 
the  Apostle  wrote  of  a  resurrection  from  among  the 
dead  (Phil,  iiirll).  The  first  resurrection  was  finished 
in  the  beginning  of  the  millennium.  "But  the  rest 
of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until  the  thousand  years 
were  finished."  The  rest  of  the  dead  come  now  into 
view  and  they  are  of  necessity  the  wicked  dead, 
who  died  in  their  sins,  and  whose  is  the  resurrection 
into  judgment.  Some  like  "Pastor"  Russell,  who 
echoes  the  evil  teachings  of  otners,  have  invented  a 
/third  resurrection,  a  resurrection  of  the  unsaved  for 
a  second  chance.  In  the  light  of  this  final  Bible  book 
there  is  no  room  whatever  for  such  a  resurrection, 
which  would  give  the  lost  another  opportunity.  Nor 
does  the  reat  of  the  Bible  mention  such  a  third  resur- 


THE  REVELATION 


rection.  And  this  great  judgment  is  not  a  universal 
judgment.  It  is  taught  that  the  entire  human  race, 
the  living  and  the  dead,  will  appear  before  this  great 
white  throne.  But  this  is  incorrect,  for  it  saith  "I 
saw  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God." 
No  living  people  are  there  at  all.  Again  the  judgment- 
scene  in  Matthew  xxyj31,  etc.,  is  spoken  of  as  being 
the  universal  judgment  and  identical  with  the  judg- 
ment here  in  Revelation.  But  this  is  another  error. 
In  the  judgment  of  Matthew  xxv  the  jlead  are  not 
there,  but  living  nations  are  judged  in  the  beginning  of 
the  Millennium.  And  these  nations  are  judged  on 
account  of  the  treatment  of  the  Jewish  preachers  of 
the  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom  heralded  by  them  during , 
the  last  seven  years  of  the  age.  They  did  not  accept  /x^ 
the  last  offer  of  mercy  and  that  is  why  they  treated  // 
the  messengers  as  they  did.  Furthermore  the  throne  'j 
which  the  Son  of  Man  occupies  in  Matthew  xxv  is 
upon  the  earth;  the  throne  in  Revelation  xx:ll  comes 
into  view  after  earth  and  heaven  fled  away.  The 
church  and  the  Saints  of  God  are  not  concerned  at 
all  in  the  judgment  of  Matthew  xxv,  nor  in  the  great 
white  throne  judgment.  They  are  at  that  time  in 
His  own  presence  glorified.  Every  Christian  should 
have  these  things  clearly  defined  and  know  that  for 
him,  as  in  Christ,  there  is  no  more  judgment  or  con- 
demnation (John  v:24;  Rom.  viiirl).  The  judgment 
seat  of  Christ  before  which  believers  have  to  appear 
(2  Cor.  v:10)  does  not  concern  their  eternal  salvation, 
but  their  works  and  rewards. 

Who  is  the  occupant  of  this  great  White  Throne? 
Not  God  but  the  Son,  our  Lord.     "The  Father  judgeth 


146  THE  REVELATION 

>no  man  but  hath  committed  all  judgment  unto  the 
Son"  (John  v:22).  The  earth  and  heaven  fled  from 
His  face.  Sin-stained  and  defiled  as  they  were  they 
flee  away  from  the  face  of  the  holy  One.  The  great 
conflagration  of  2  Peter  iii:7-12  takes  place.  Fire  of 
judgment  swept  the  earth  before  the  millennium,  the 
day  of  the  Lord,  began;  but  the  all  consuming  fire  comes 
after  the  millennium.  Out  of  that  great  conflagration 
there  arises  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth  (xxi:l). 
"One  could  readily  imagine  that  the  present  scene,  so 
marred  and  wrecked,  would  at  once  disappear  before  the 
glory  and  majesty  of  such  an  One,  but  that  is  not  what 
is  seen  here.  It  is  the  earth  and  the  heaven  constituted 
by  the  Lord  Himself  as  spheres  to  display  His  glory 
and  righteousness,  that  cannot  abide  the  glory  of  His 
face.  The  millennial  scene,  both  in  its  higher  and  lower 
departments,  is  at  the  best  an  imperfect  condition. 
'The  earth  and  heaven  fled' — not  passed  out  of 
existence,  not  annihilated — the  next  clause  carefully 
guards  against  an^sucTTunscriptural  deduction,  'place 
was  not  found  for  them.'  It  does  intimate  the  com- 


plete disappearance  of  the  millennial  earth  and  heaven. 
Consequent  upontTTe  lelUUVUl  Oi  Uiese,  ziew  heavens 
and  a  new  earth  fitted,  furnished,  and  constituted 
for  eternity  take  their  place — are  made,  (Isa.  lxvi:22; 
2  Peter  iii:13).  Between  the  passing  away  of  the 
millennial  scene  and  the  introduction  of  the  eternal 
world,  material  in  both  cases — the  great  white  throne 
is  set  up.  This  consideration  imparts  profound 
solemnity  to  the  scene  before  us.  For  the  throne  is 
not  set  on  the  earth,  nor  in  relation  to  its  dispensations 
and  times.  It  is  a  scene  outside  human  history 


or  .  / 

/'Hn^-v,  / 

THE  REVELATION  ^147 

entirely.  We  have  passed  out  of  time  and  into  ^eternity. 
The  judgment  tKeTefuie  uf  the  IhToneTiFlinal  and  in  its 
very  nature  eternal.  We  are  in  God's  eternity.  There 
can  be  no  measures  of  time  nor  limitations  bounded 
by  the  globe,  for  that  by  which  all  is  measured  and 
limited  has  passed  away.  The  judgment  is  of  souls  in 
their  individual  relation  to  God  and  is  consequently 
final  and  eternal."* 

But  what  about  the  millions  of  saved  Israelites  and 
Gentiles  who  are  on  the  millennial  earth?  Where  are 
they  during  this  great  conflagration?  What  becomes 
of  them?  That  they  share  the  eternal  blessings  and 
glories  in  the  eternal  state  is  certain.  But  their 
abode  between  the  burning  of  the  earth  and  the  calling 
into  existence  of  the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth  is 
unrevealed.  Speculation  on  it  would  be  wrong.  We 
should  accept  the  silences  of  Scripture  as  much  in  fait! 
as  we  accept  the  promises  of  God. 

And  John  sees  the  dead  standing  before  the  Throne. 
Books  were  opened  and  another  book  was  opened, 
the  book  of  life.  "And  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  the 
things  which  were  written  in  the  books,  according 
to  their  works."  The  books  are  symbolical;  con- 
science and  memory  will  speak  loudly.  Twice  we  read 
that  they  are  judged  according  to  their  works.  Upon 
Romans  v:12,  the  marginal  reading  "in  whom  (Adam) 
all  have  sinned"  some  have  taught  that  man  is  held 
responsible  for  the  sin  of  Adam  and  the  corrupt  nature 
man  has.  But  that  is  a  mistake.  We  are  not  held 
responsible  for  having  a  fallen  nature.  We  are 


*W.  Scott  on  Revelation. 


14*  THE  REVELATION 


responsible  for  the  outworking  of  that  nature.  There- 
fore the  dead  are  judged  "according  to  their  works." 
And  in  the  "Book  of  Life"  none  of  their  names  was 
written,  or  they  would  not  have  been  in  that  company. 
"All  this  would  seem  to  show  that,  though  a  millen- 
nium has  passed  since  the  first  resurrection,  yet  no 
righteous  dead  can  stand  among  this  throng.  The 
suggestion  of  the  "Book  of  Life"  has  seemed  to  many  to 
imply  that  there  are  such;  but  it  is  not  said  that  there 
are,  and  the  words  "whosoever  was  not  found  written 
in  the  Book  of  Life  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire"  may 
be  simply  a  solemn  declaration  (now  affirmed  by  the 
result)  that  grace  is  man's  only  possible  escape  from 
the  judgment."* 

The  second  resurrection  takes  place.  The  sea  gives 
up  the  dead  and  death  and  hades  give  up  the  dead. 
Hades  gives  up  the  souls,  and  Death,  used  here  for  the 
j*raye,  gives  up  the  bodies.  Death  and  Hades  were 
cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.  Both  had  come  into  exis- 
tence because  man  had  sinned,  and  therefore  they  are 
cast  into  the  place,  where  all  belongs  which  is  contrary 
to  the  holiness  and  love  of  God.  And  then  that  solemn 
word!  "And  whosoever  was  not  found  written  in  the 
Book  of  Life  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire."  It  corres- 
ponds to  that  other  solemn  statement  in  John  iii:36. 
"He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life; 
and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life, 
but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  upon  him."  To  be 
\  written  in  the  "Book  of  Life"  means  to  trust  on  Christ. 
Not  our  works,  not  our  character,  not  our  religious- 

*Numerical  Bible. 


THE  REVELATION  149 

ness,  nor  our  tears,  our  prayers  and  our  service  can' 
put   our   names   in  the  "Book  of  Life."     Grace   alone 
can  do  it,  and  Grace  does  it  as  we  believe  on  the  Lore 
Jesus  Christ.     Reader!    is  your  name  written  there? 

The  Saints  of  God  are  in  eternal  glory;  the  wicked 
dead,  the  lost  are  in  an  eternal  lake  of  fire  and  suffer 
conscious  and  eternal  punishment.  And  how  man, 
blind,  presumptuous  man,  yea  even  such  who  know 
God,  rise  up  against  this  solemn  truth,  the  eternal 
punishment  of  the  wicked.  They  accuse  God  of 
injustice,  as  if  the  judge  of  all  the  earth  would  not  do 
right.  That  the  suffering  of  the  lost  differs  is  obvious. 
As  there  are  different  rewards  for  the  faithful  service 
of  the  Saints,  so  are  there  different  degrees  of  punish- 
ment for  the  unsaved  (Luke  xii:47-4Sy!  This  is  the 
second  death,  not  blotting  out  of  existence,  but  endless 
existence  in  separation  from  God.  The  following 
helpful  summary  appeared  in  "OurJiJope-^ 

1.  Each  individual  is  in  the  only  possible  place  for 
which  he  is  adapted  by  life  and  nature — his  own  place. 

2.  The    varying    rewards    or    penalties    have    been 
"worked  out"  by  the  individual,  and  are  not  indis- 
criminate. 

,  3.  Where  there  has  been  no  opposing  will,  as  in  the 
case  of  infants  or  those  irresponsible,  then  the  will  of 
God  is  not  hindered,  and  He  willeth  not  the  death  of 
any.  By  the  ransom  He  has  found  in  Christ  all  such 
are  saved  forever. 

4.  It  is  due  to  human  will,  not  divine,  that  any  are 
lost. 

5.  Not  one  protest  will  then  be  heard  in  any  part  of 
the  universe  against  the  justice  of  God. 


150  THE  REVELATION 

6.  All  creation  will  thus  be  reconciled  to,  and  in 
harmony  at  least,  in  the  confession  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  God. 

7.  And  thus  God  shall  be  all  in  all;  the  one  to  whom 
all  submission  is  accorded,  by  all,  everywhere.* 

Chapter  XXI.  4.  The  Eternal  State.  Verses  1-8. 
And  now  the  eternal  state  comes  into  view.  "And  I 
saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth;  for  the  first 
heaven  and  the  first  earth  were  passed  away  and  the 
sea  is  no  more."  This  is  the  revelation  concerning 
the  final  and  eternal  state  of  the  earth.  "Thou  hast 
established  the  earth  and  it  abideth"  (Ps.  cxix:90); 
"But  the  earth  abideth  forever"  (Eccl.  i:4).  These 
divine  statements  are  now  fulfilled.  Many  Christians 
have  a  very  vague  conception  of  the  eternal  state  of 
the  earth  and  the  ftbode  of  the  redeemed.  They  think 
of  it  as  a  spiritual  state  destitute  of  any  locality. 
But  it  is  not  so.  The  earth  and  the  heaven  abide  as 
definite  places  throughout  all  eternity.  What  a 
marvellous  fact  this  is!  In  chapter  xx:ll  we  read 
that  the  earth  and  the  heaven  fled  away  and  there  was 
found  no  place.  We  saw  that  at  that  time  the  great 
conflagration  of  which  Peter  speaks  took  place,  when 
"the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise  and 
the  elements  shall  be  dissolved  with  fervent  heat, 
the  earth  also  and  the  works  that  are  tbereib.  8&aii  oe 
burned  up."  (2  Peter  iiitlO).  But  we  read  in  the 
same  chapter  "nevertheless  we,  according  to  His 
promise  look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein 


Our  Hope"  May  ,1915.     Notes  on  Revelation  by  F.  C.  J. 


THE  REVELATION  151 

dwelleth  righteousness."  (verse  13).  During  the  mil- 
lennium righteousness  reigns  upon  the  earth,  but  now 
a  state  comes  for  the  earth  when  righteousness  shall 
dwell  there.  The  great  burning  up  meant  not  an 
annihilation  of  the  earth  and  the  heavens;  God  does 
not  annihilate  anything,  nor  does  Scripture  teach  an 
annihilation  of  material  things  and  much  less  the 
annihilation  of  human  beings,  as  false  teachers  claim. 
The  conflagration  of  the  earth  and  the  heaven  means 
_  their  complete  purification.  We  can  do  nothing  better 
to  help  in  the  understanding  of  this  than  by  quoting 
what  another  has  written  on  this  important  and  inter- 
esting subject. 

"Let  us  look  at  the  question  of  continuity  between 

the  earth  that  flees  away  and  the  earth  that  succeeds 

it.     At  first  sight  we  should  surely  say,  they  cannot 

be  identical.     The  well-known  passage  in  the  epistle  of 

Peter  would  seem  to  confirm  this  (2  Peter  iii:10,  12). 

/  There  we  learn  that  'the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a 

/  great  noise,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  ; 

I   heat;   the  earth  also,  and  the  works  that  are  tKerem, 

\  shall  be  burned  up.'     And  it  is  repeated,    and   thus 

\emphasized  by   repetition,   that   'the    heavens    being 

on  fire  shall  be  dissolved,  and  the  elements  shall  melt 

with  fervent  heat.* 

"Yet,  as  we  look  more  closely,  we  shall  find  reason  to 
doubt  whether  more  is  meant  than  the  destruction  of 
the  earth  as  the  place  of  human  habitation.  In  the 
deluge,  to  which  it  is  compared  (verses  5-7),  'the  world 
that  then  was  Ptrjshfd-'  yet  its  continuity  with  the 
present  no  one  cToubts.  Fire,  though  the  instrument 
of  a  more  penetrating  judgment,  yet  does  not  annihilate 


152  THE  REVELATION 

the  material  upon  which  it  fastens.  The  melting  even 
of  elements  implies  rather  the  reverse,  and  dissolution 
is  not  (in  this  sense)  destruction. 
•  "Yet  the  heavens  and  the  earth  pass  away — that  is, 
in  the  form  in  which  now  we  know  them;  or,  as  the 
apostle  speaks  to  the  Corinthians,  'the  fashion  of  this 
world  passes  away'  (1  Cor.  vii:21):  and  that  this  is 
the  sense  in  which  we  are  to  understand  it,  other 
criptures  come  to  assure  us. 

"A  'new'  earth  does  not  necessarily  mean  another 
earth,  except  as  a  'new'  man  means  another  man — 
'new'  in  the  sense  of  renewed.  And  even  the  words 
here,  'there  was  no  more  sea,'  naturally  suggest  another 
state  of  the  earth  that  now  exists.  This  fact  is  a 
significant  one:  that  which  is  the  type  of  instability 
and  barrenness,  and  condemns  to  it  so  large  a  portion 
of  the  globe,  is  gone  utterly  and  forever.  At  the 
beginning  of  Genesis  we  find  the  whole  earth  buried 
under  it;  emerging  on  the  third  day,  and  the  waters 
given  their  bounds,  which  but  once  afterward  they  pass. 
Now  they  are  gone  forever,  as  are  the  wicked,  to  whom 
Isaiah  compares  it:  'The  wicked  are  like  the  troubled 
sea  when  it  cannot  rest,  whose  waters  cast  up  mire 
and  dirt.'  This  last  is  the  effect  of  chafing  against  its 
bounds,  as  the  'mind  of  the  flesh'  is  'not  subject  to 
the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be'  (Rom.  viii:7).* 
With  this  we  fully  agree.  The  heaven  mentioned 
cannot  be  the  entire  heavens;  for  there  is  a  heaven 
which  cannot  Detoucned  by  these  fires  of  purification. 
The  heaven  is  that  which  surrounds  the  earth  and 

*F.  W.  Grant. 


THE  REVELATION  153 

which  was  once  the  peculiar  sphere  of  the  great  usurper,^ 
the  prince  of  the  power  in  the  air.  And  WBSSTPeter 
writes  that  all  this  is  according  to  His  promise,  he  had  a 
well-known  prophetic  statement  in  Isaiah  in  mind. 

I  "For  as  the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth,  which  I 
will  make,  shall  remain  before  me,  saith  the  Lord,  so 
shall  your  seed  and  your  name  remain."  (Isaiah  lxvi:22. 
See  also  lxv:17).  From  this  statement  we  get  very 
definite  information  that  the  redeemed  Israel  estab- 
lished  upon  the  new  earth  will  throughout  the  eternal 
state  be  distinct  from  the  saved  nations.  They  will 
throughout  all  eternity  bear  witness  to  God's  faith- 
fulness as  the  covenant  keeping  God.  The  new  heaven 
and  the  new  earth  are  therefore  the  abodes  of  the 
.redeemed.  The  new  earth,  the  eternal  glory  toot  of 
the  whole  universe,  will  be  the  dwelling  place  of 
xedeemed  Israel  fl"H  thf,  redeemed  nations.  And  the 
new  Jerusalem  will  come  out  of  heaven  to  fill  the 
new  earth  and  the  new  heaven  as  well.  *  And  I, 
John,  saw  the  holy  city,  new  Jerusalem,  coming  down 
from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride  adorned 
for  her  husband." 

The  new  Jerusalem,  the  holy  city,  comes  into  view. 
During  the  millennium  the  city  of  Jerusalem  was 
known  as  the  place  of  glory  for  the  earth.  Numerous 
Old  Testament  predictions  were  fulfilled.  See  Isaiah 
iv:5-6;  liv:ll-14;  lx:ll-22.  In  chapter  xx:9  she  is 
called  "the  beloved  city."  But  in  Revelation  iii:12 
we  have  another  Jerusalem  mentioned,  the  same  city 
which  John  sees  coming  down  out  of  heaven,  the 
place  of  the  highest  glory.  It  is  the  church  in  all  her 
glory;  the  statement  "prepared  as  a  bride  adorned 


154  THE  REVELATION 

for  her  husband"  establishes  this  beyond  controversy. 
She  is  called  "holy"  for  all  is  holy;  and  a  "city"  because 
the  Saints  are  in  blessed  communion  and  fellowship 
there.  In  the  highest  glory  she  had  her  abode.  But 
now  she  is  being  revealed  in  all  her  eternal  glory  and 
i  beauty.  During  the  -mjllennialreign  this  wonderful 
/  city  was  above  the  earth  and  from  there  Christ  reigned 
I  and  His  Saints  with  Him.  But  here  she  comes  down 
\  out  of  heaven.  A  thousand  years  before  the  marriage 
of  the  lamb  had  taken  place  (xix:7-8),  and  now  after 
a  thousand  years  of  unspeakable  glory,  she  is  still 
seen  "as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband."  And  yet 
all  these  things  are  given  in  figurative  language. 
What  will  be  the  reality!  The  masterwork  of  God  is 
at  last  fully  manifested  ;  what  He  accomplished  through 
Him,  who  left  the  Glory  to  die  on  the  Cross,  is  made 
known.  The  eternal,  never  ending  riches,  purchased 
by  Him  who  was  rich  and  became  poor  for  our  sakes, 
are  beginning  to  be  displayed  in  all  their  unfading 
splendor.  Then  the  Saints  of  God  will  learn  to  know 
the  full  meaning  of  Eph.  i:7.  "that  in  the  ages  to  come 
He  might  display  the  surpassing  riches  of  His  grace 
in  kindness  towards  us  through  Christ  Jesus."  "And 
I  heard  a  loud  voice  out  of  heaven,  saying,  Behold 
the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  He  will  dwell 

*"VMM^^_^^MB^^^H«WPMMIM* 

„   with  them,  and  they  shall  be  Jtlis  people,  and  God  Him- 

'_.  self  shall  be  with  them,  and  be  their  God."    This  is 

the  glorious  consummation.     It  is  the  goal  of  a  holy, 


i  loving  God.  In  J^rp^  He  visited  man  unfallen, 
walked  ana  talked  with  Him.  Then  sin^  severed  this 

^~  fellowship.  He  dwelt  in  the  midst  57  Israel  in  the 
holiest  of  the  tabernacle.  In  this  age  the  church  is 


THE  REVELATION  155 

His  habitation  by  the  Spirit,  but  the  blessed  consum- 
ydnation  in  the  eternal  state  will  result  in  God  dwelling 
with  His  redeemed  Creatures.  What  holy,  glorious, 
— *  never-ending  intimacy  that  will  be!  It  is  the  time  when 
God  is  all  in  all  (1  Cor.  xv:28).  When  that  time  has 
come  all  the  former  things  are  passed  away.  "And 
God  shall  wipe  away  every  tear  from  their  eyes,  and 
there  shall  be  no  more  death,  nor  sorrow,  nor  crying, 
neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain;  for  the  former 
things  are  passed  away."  Tears,  de^thT  sorrow,  crying, 
pain  and  suffering,  these  came  into  existence  through 
sin.  And  all  these  things,  the  effects  of  sin,  are  now 
gone.  What  relief  and  what  joy!  The  Saints  of  God 
in  countless  numbers,  ever  since  sin  came  into  the  world 
with  all  its  attending  miseries,  have  looked  forward 
through  their  tears  of  sorrow  and  of  pain,  to  the  blessed 
day  when  sorrow  and  sighing  should  flee  away  and  all 
mourning  be  turned  into  joy.  Yea,  weeping  endureth 
during  the  night,  the  dark  night  of  sin,  but  joy  cometh 
in  the  morning.  The  morning,  when  the  eternal  day 
breaks,  will  chase  all  the  shadows  of  the  night  away. 
May  we  learn,  in  the  midst  of  tears  and  grief,  sorrow 
and  pain,  to  look  forward  in  holy  and  blessed  antici- 
pation to  the  day  "when  God  shall  wipe  away  every 
tear." 

Then  we  hear  God's  own  voice.  "And  He  that  sat 
on  the  throne  said,  Behold  I  make  all  things  new. 
And  He  saith  to  me,  Write:  for  these  words  are  true 
and  faithful.  And  He  said  unto  me,  It  is  done.  I 
am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end. 
I  will  give  unto  him  that  is  athirst  of  the  fountain 
of  the  water  of  life  freely.  He  that  overcomes  shall 


156  THE  REVELATION 

inherit  all  things;-  and  I  will  be  His  God  and  he  shall 
be  my  Son."  "It  is  done,"  tells  us  that  all  is  now 
accomplished  through  the  power  of  God.  At  the  close 
of  the  twenty-second  Psalm,  the  Psalm  in  which  the 
sufferings  of  Christ  and  His  coming  glories  are  revealed, 
we  find  the  significant  ending,  "He  hath  done  it."* 
When  He  hung  on  the  cross  and  was  about  to  bow  His 
blessed  head  and  give  His  life  in  death,  He  said,  "It 
is  finished."  The  great  work  was  done.  And  that 
work  which  was  accomplished  on  the  cross  is  the  foun- 
dation of  everything.  Then  in  chapter  xvi:17,  the 
voice  out  of  the  temple  from  the  throne  spoke,  "It  is 
done."  The  end  of  man's  day  had  then  come  and 
the  day  of  millennial  blessing  and  glory  was  ushered 
in.  And  here  it  is  for  the  last  time  that  we  find  this 
divine  utterance.  All  is  now  accomplished;  nothing 
else  needs  to  be  done.  And  it  is  most  blessed  to  see 
that  the  precious  Gospel  itself  is  not  overlooked.  Is 
the  Gospel  precious  to  our  hearts?  It  certainly  is 
to  any  redeemed  one.  But  we  must  not  forget  that 
the  same  Gospel  is  even  more  precious  to  God  Him- 
self, for  in  the  Gospel  His  own  righteousness  has  been 
so  wonderfully  exalted  and  His  love  has  been  made 
known.  The  Gospel  is  His  Gospel  and  the  Gospel  of 
His  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation.  And  so  God  delights  to  mention 
it  in  this  last  Book  of  the  Bible  a  number  of  times. 
It  was  a  reminder  of  the  Gospel  when  we  heard  in 
chapter  xix,  "Blessed  are  they  which  are  called  unto  the 
marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb!"  And  once  more  in  the 


*Revi«ed  Version. 


THE  REVELATION  157 

very  end  of  this  book  we  shall  find  the  Gospel  invita- 
tion, "And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come.  And  whosoever 
will  let  him  come  and  take  the  water  of  life  freely." 
(xxii:17).  And  here  it  is  the  Gospel.  God,  so  to 
speak,  in  revealing  this  great  consummation  in  the 
eternal  state,  when  He  will  be  all  in  all,  sounds  forth 
once  more  the  blessed  Gospel  promise  and  assurance. 
The  water  of  life,  He  will  give  freely  to  all  who  thirst. 
And  what  a  consummation  of  the  Gospel,  unfathom- 
ably  deep — "I  will  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  Son!" 
Perhaps  this  simple  volume  may  fall  into  the  hands  of 
some  who  have  neglected  so  great  a  salvation,  who  have 
rejected  God's  beautiful  offer.  Then  let  me  speak  to 
you,  dear  reader.  God  wants  you  in  His  eternal 
home  and  glory.  Oh!  come  to  Him,  who  still  waits 
and  is  ready  to  give  you  the  water  of  life  freely. 

And  next  comes  the  eternal  state  of  those  who  reject- 
ed the  Gospel,  who  lived  in  their  sins  and  died  in  their 
sins,  unsaved,  unregenerated.  "But  the  fearful,  and 
unbelieving,  and  abominable  and  murderers,  and 
fornicators,  and  sorcerers,  and  idolaters,  and  all  liars 
shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which  burneth  with 
fire  and  brimstone,  which  is  the  second  death."  God 
still  speaks.  How  many  false  teachers  are  meddling 
to-day  with  the  solemn  scripture  doctrine  of  the  endless 
punishment  of  the  wicked.  Texts  of  the  Word  of 
God  which  declare  this  solemn  truth  are  perverted 
by  them  and  handled  deceitfully.  Other  texts  these  men 
declare  do  not  belong  in  the  Bible;  they  brand  them 
as  interpolations.  But  he  who  touches  these  words 
in  this  chapter  touches  God  Himself,  and  the  teacher 
who  declares  that  there  is  no  eternal  punishment 


158  THE  REVELATION 

rejects  the  very  Word  as  it  comes  from  God.  There 
is  an  actual  place,  the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth, 
for  the  redeemed;  there  is  also  an  actual  and  ever- 
lasting place  of  punishment  for  the  lost.  Eternal  is 
the  glory;  eternal  is  the  punishment.  The  human 
heart,  unregenerated,  is  here  uncovered  once  more* 
in  the  description  of  those  who  find  their  eternal 
abode  in  the  lake  of  fire.  And  that  lake  of  fire 
"burneth;"  there  is  no  cessation. 

5.  The  Vision  of  the  Holy  City,  Jerusalem.  Verses 
9-27.  We  followed  from  chapter  xix:l  events  which 
are  chronological.  First  we  heard  the  .Hallelujah's 
in  glory,  heaven  celebrating  Babylon's  fall.  Tn"en 
followed  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb,  and  the  Bride, 
the  glorified  church  came  more  fully  in  view.  We  saw 
heaven  opened  and  the  Lord  in  all  His  glorious  majesty 
coming  forth,  attendecf  oy  the  Saints.  The  Gaming 
of  the  Lord  with  His  Saints  took  place.  Then  followed 

Jtt-the  battle  of  Armageddon,  the  Beast  and  the  false 
prophet  were  cast  in  the  lake  of  fire;  the  supper  of 
the  great  God,  the  day  of  wrath  had  come.  _Satan 
was  cast  into  the  abyss  and  the  reign  of  Christ  with 
His  Saints  for  a  thousand  years  followed.  Without 
any  interruption  we  saw  what  happens  after  the 

7  thousand   years   are  completed:     Satan  loosed  for  a 

/{ little  season,  the  final  great  rpvn]|  and  its  sudden 
termination  by  the  fire  of  judgment.  Then  heaven 
and  earth  fled  away,  the  second  resurrection  and 

..  the  great  white  throne  judgment  passed  into  history. 

*    Then  we  saw  the  eternal  state  of  the  redeemed  and 
ic  lost. 

*See  Matt.  xv:19. 


THE  REVELATION  159 

ninth  verse  we  are  brought  back  once  more 


to  the  millennial  state.  What  was  briefly  stated  in 
chapter  xx:4-6  is  now  more  fully  revealed  and  we  have 
a  description  of  the  Bride,  the  Lamb's  wife  in  her 
millennial  glory,  in  relation  to  Israel  and  to  the  nations 
on  the  earth.  One  of  the  angels  which  had  the  seven' 
vials  appears  on  the  scene  to  show  something  to  the 
Seer.  A  similar  scene  we  had  in  chapter  xvii:l-3. 
There  one  of  these  angelic  bearers  of  the  vials  showed 
to  John,  the  Harlot  woman  and  her  judgment;  but 
now  he  is  to  see,  the  Bride,  the  Lamb's  wife.  "And 
he  carried  me  away  in  the  Spirit,  and  set  me  on  a 
great,  high  mountain  and  showed  me  the  holy  City, 
Jerusalem,  coming  down  out  of  heaven  from  God." 
She  is  seen  coming  down  out  of  heaven.  This  coming 
down  precedes  the  one  mentioned  in  verses  2-3  by  a 
thousand  years.  Her  coming  down  does  not  mean 
here  that  she  comes  actually  down  upon  the  earth,  to 
dwell  on  earth  during  the  millennium.  Her  coming 
out  of  heaven  in  verses  2-3  is  undoubtedly  to  the 
new  earth.  But  here  she  comes  down  to  be  over  the 
earth.  1  Thess.  iv:17  may  serve  as  an  illustration. 
When  the  Lord  descends  out  of  heaven  with  a  shout, 
He  does  not  come  down  to  earth,  but  He  descends  to  a 
place  above  the  earth.  And  so  here  the  Bride,  the 
Lamb's  wife,  descends  out  of  heaven  from  God  to 
hover  above  the  earth.  This  description  is 
symbolical;  nor  is  the  city  described  the  Jerusalem 
on  the  earth  as  some  have  taken  it  in  an  ultra-literal 
sense.  The  earthly  Jerusalem  never  leaves  the  earth 
at  all  and  the  glories  of  the  Jerusalem  on  the  earth 
during  millennial  times  are  fully  pictured  by  the 


160  THE  REVELATION 

Prophets  in  the  Old  Testament;  there  is  no  need 
for  an  angel  to  show  the  beauty  and  glory  spot  of  the 
millennial  age  to  John.  Isaiah  lxii:2— 5  is  one  of  these 
blessed  descriptions  of  the  Jerusalem  on  the  earth. 
"And  the  Gentiles  shall  see  thy  righteousness,  and  all 
kings  thy  glory,  and  thou  shalt  be  called  by  a  new 
name,  which  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  shall  name.  Thou 
shalt  also  be  a  crown  of  glory  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
and  a  royal  diadem  in  the  hand  of  thy  God.  Thou 
shalt  no  more  be  termed  Forsaken;  neither  shall  thy 
land  any  more  be  termed  Desolate;  but  thou  shalt  be 
called  Hephzi-bah  (my  delight  is  in  her),  and  thy 
land  Beulah  (married);  for  the  Lord  delighteth  in 
thee,  and  thy  land  shall  be  married.  For  as  a  young 
man  marrieth  a  virgin,  so  shall  thy  sons  marry  thee, 
and  as  the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  Bride,  so 
shall  thy  God  rejoice  over  thee."  Such  will  be  Jeru- 
salem's earthly  glory  and  Israel's  relation  to  God 
throughout  the  millennium.  But  here  we  see  the 
Bride,  the  Lamb's  wife  as  the  holy  city  Jerusalem 
descending  out  of  heaven  from  God.  This  is  the 
building  of  God  Himself  in  all  its  glory,  the  eternal 
home  of  the  Saints.  "Having  the  Glory  of  God." 
Who  is  able  to  understand  this  one  brief  sentence? 
It  is  more  than  a  reflection  of  the  Glory  of  God; 
the  very  Glory  will  be  her  portion.  It  will  be  the 
glorious,  though  distant  vision,  for  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth  throughout  the  millennium.  This  marvel- 
lous city  will  be  seen,  resplendent  with  glory,  suspended 
in  the  heavens  and  human  eyes  will  look  up  to  behold 
the  flashes  of  glory,  never  ceasing.  In  Psalm  xix  we 
read  "the  heavens  declare  the  Glory  of  God  and  the 


THE  REVELATION  161 

firmament  showeth  His  handiwork."  In  beholding 
the  work  of  His  fingers,  the  moon  and  the  stars,  (Psalm 
viii:3)  we  behold  now  His  glory  as  the  omnipotent 
Creator.  But  in  one  of  the  millennial  Psalms,  a 
Psalm  which  describes  the  reigning  of  Jehovah  and  a 
rejoicing  earth,  as  well  as  His  judgments,  we  also 
read  of  the  heavens  and  what  they  will  then  declare. 
"The  heavens  declare  His  righteousness  and  all  the 
people  see  His  glory"  (Psalmxcvii  :6)^  This  no  doubt 
refers  to  the  bright  and  glorious  city,  Jerusalem  above 
as  it  will  be  seen  by  the  nations  during  the  coming 
millennium.  "And  her  light  was  like  unto  a  stone 
most  precious,  even  like  a  Jasper  stone,  clear  as  crystal." 
The  Jasper,  as  we  remarked  already  in  chapter  iv 
is  not  the  stone  which  we  know  by  this  name,  for  our 
Jasper  is  not  transparent.  This  precious  stone  men- 
tioned here  once  more  shows  the  complete  identifica- 
tion of  the  God  of  Glory  with  this  holy  citv.  (Compare 
with  iv:3).  "Having  a  wall  great  and  high,  having 
twelve  gates  and  at  the  gates  twelve  angels  and  names 
written  thereon,  which  are  the  names  of  the  twelve 
tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel."  And  this  symbolical 
city,  composed  not  of  material  stones,  but  of  the 
living  stones,  has  a  great  and  high  wall.  A  wall, 
is  the  means  to  keep  out  and  to  keep  in;  it  denotes 
separation  and  security.  And  of  course  the  city 
itself  is  behind  the  wall.  Seven  times  the  number 
twelve  is  found  in  this  description.  Twelve  gates, 
twelve  angels,  twelve  names  of  Israel,  twelve  names 
of  the  Apostles,  twelve  foundations,  twelve  pearls, 
and  the  measurement  of  the  wall  and  city  is  twelve 
by  twelve  cubits.  Twelve  is  the  number  which 


162  THE  REVELATION 

expresses  government  and  here  we  have  the  perfect 
government  revealed. 

This  wall  with  its  twelve  gates,  twelve  angels, 
twelve  names  of  the  tribes  of  Israel,  twelve  foundations 
with  the  names  of  the  Apostles  of  the  Lamb,  shows 
some  kind  of  connection  between  the  holy  city,  the 
Bride  of  the  Lamb,  and  the  earthly  Jerusalem.  (See 
Ezekiel  xlviii:31-34).  "The/,  wall  is  what  fences  a 
city  off  from  without;  the^ate  is  what  gives  it  com- 
munication with  that  which  is  without.  In  that  which 
marks  the  exclusive  distinction  of  the  Church  the 
sties  appear:  in  that  which  marks  its  relation- 
ship withtheworld  the  twelve  tribes  appear:  for  the 
Apostles  are  the  foundation  of  the  Church,  whereas 
Israel  is  always  God's  first  thought  in  His  government 
of  the  world.  In  that  which  symbolizes  the  going 
forth  of  the  Church's  authority  towards  the  world 
Israel  therefore  naturally  comes  into  prominence."* 
The  administration  of  Israel  is  from  the  heavenly 
/city,  which  administration  will  rest  in  the  hands  of 
the  twelve  Apostles  according  to  the  promise  of  our 
Lord  "ye  shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones  judging  the 
{  twelve  tribes  of  Israel"  (Matt.  xix:28).  Then  the 
\  twelve  angels  at  the  gates  are,  what  angels  always 
will  be.  ministering  spirits.  They  are  at  the  disposal 
of  the  Saints,  who  judge  the  world  and  angels  (1  Cor. 
vi:2-3).  The  twelve  foundations  with  the  names  of 
the  twelve  Apostles  reminds  us  of  Eph.  ii:20. 
"And  are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  Apostles 
and  Prophets,  Jesus  Christ  Himself  being  the  chief 

*T.  B.  Baines  on  Revelation. 


THE  REVELATION  163 

corner  stone."  And  it  is  a  significant  as  well  as 
blessed  expression  "the  Apostles  of  the  Lamb."  The 
Lamb  is  the  foundation  of  all.  But  the  wall  itself 
seems  to  represent  symbolically  Israel  in  her  sphere  of 
blessing  to  the  millennial  earth,  standing  between  the 
heavenly  and  the  earthly.  No  doubt  there  will  be 
communication  also  between  the  earthly  Jerusalem  and 
the  heavenly.  It  Is  well  to  confess  our  ignorance  in 
all  these  matters.  How  little  after  all  we  know  of  the 
full  meaning.  When  at  last  we  shall  be  in  that  city 
with  all  the  Saints,  we  shall  know  as  we  are  known. 

"And  the  city  lieth  four-square,  and  the  length  thereof 
is  as  great  as  the  breadth;  and  he  measured  the  city 
with  the  reed,  twelve  thousand  furlongs.  The  length 
and  the  breadth  and  the  height  of  it  are  equal.  And  he 
measured  the  wall  thereof,  one  hundred  and  forty  and 
four  cubits,  according  to  the  measure  of  a  man,  that 
is  of  an  angel."  The  city  is  perfect  in  structure.  It 
is  described  as  being  a  cube.  And  by  this  is  signified 
that  it  is  the  climax  of  perfection  in  the  symmetry  of 
its  construction.  Such  will  be  the  church  in  glory. 
That  this  city  cannot  be  an  earthly  habitation  is 
seen  by  its  measurement.  It  is  twelve  thousand 
furlongs  in  length,  breadth  and  heighth.  Twelve 
thousand  furlongs  are  fifteen  hundred  miles.  This  is 
beyond  human  comprehension.  "In  Ezekiel  (des- 
cribing the  millennial  Jerusalem)  the  city  is  large, 
becoming  a  splendid  earthly  metropolis;  in  Revelation 
the  holy  city  is  vast  beyond  all  possible  earthly  limits. 
In  Ezekiel  it  is  of  the  quadrangular  form,  often  used  in 
Scripture  to  indicate  perfect  earthly  symmetry;  in 
Revelation  there  is  another  dimension,  a  height  equal 


164  THE  REVELATION 

to  the  length  and  the  breadth,  showing  a  perfect  cube, 
a  still  higher  order  of  symmetry,  heavenly  in  character, 
and  manifestly  unsuited  to  the  earth." 

"It  is  surely  no  mere  coincidence  that  the  Holy  of 
holies  in  the  temple  was  of  the  same  cubic  form.  'The 
oracle  in  the  forepart  was  twenty  cubits  in  length,  and 
twenty  cubits  in  breadth,  and  twenty  cubits  in  the 
height  thereof:  and  he  overlaid  it  with  pure  gold' 
(1  Kings  vi:20).  Now  David  gave  to  Solomon  'the 
pattern  of  all  that  he  hadf  by_  the  Spirit  of  the  courts 
of  the  house  of  the  Lord.'  (1  Chron.  xxviii:12.)  His 
plans  therefore,  like  those  of  Moses,  were  formed  after 
a  heavenly  model,  and  had  a  typical  signification,  so 
that  the  cubic  form  of  the  holiest  place  in  the  temple 
was  an  inspired  type  of  the  perfect  symmetry  of  that 
'habitation  of  God'  which  formed  the  pattern  of  these 
earthly  structures.  Here  too  the  number  of  adminis- 
trative perfection  twice  appears  in  the  twelve  thousand 
furlongs  which  is  the  length  of  the  side,  and  in  the 
twelve  times  twelve,  or  one  'hundred  and  forty  and 
four  cubits,'  of  the  height  of  the  wall. 

"The  measure  is  'the  measure  of  a  man,  that  is,  of 
the  angel.'  The  standard  therefore  is  after  the  meas- 
ure of  man,  not  in  his  earthly  body,  but  in  the  body 
he  will  have  after  resurrection,  when  he  is  clothed  upon 
with  his  house  which  is  from  heaven.  In  these  'spirit- 
ual bodies'  the  'children  of  the  resurrection'  are  said 
to  *^  '•"ing!  unto  the  angels'  (Luke  xx:36),  and  it  is 
to  this  new  condition  that  the  standard  of  measure- 
ment is  conformed.  The  scene,  though  all  symbolic, 
is  throughout  symbolic  of  the  heavenly,  and  not  of 
the  earthly.  The  symbols  are,  of  course,  borrowed 


THE  REVELATION  165 

from  the  earth,  but  each  has  a  heavenly  stamp  im- 
pressed upon  it."* 

And  the  foundations  were  all  adorned  by  precious 
stones  and  these  twelve  stones  all  tell  out  divine  glory. 
The  Jasper  again  stands  first;  the  wall  itself  is  of 
Jasper,  while  the  first  foundation  stone  mentioned  is 
also  Jasper.  It  stands  for  the  Glory  of  God.  Then 
the  stones  follow  in  their  order.  The  Sapphire  (blue) ; 
the  Chalcedony  (a  combination  of  grey,  blue  and 
yellow):  the  Emerald,  (green);  the  Sardonyx  (of  a 
pale,  blue);  the  Sardius  (bloodred);  the  Chrysolite 
(purple  and  green) ;  the  BeryL  (bluish  green) ;  the 
•'  Topaz  (pale  green  or  golden);  the  Chrysoprasus 
/  (mixed  blue,  green  and  yellow) ;  the  Jacinth  (com- 
,'  bination  of  red,  violet  and  yellow),  and  the  Amethyst 
"  (purple).  And  what  must  be  the  deeper  meaning  of 
y^all  these  precious  stones!  What  varied  aspects  of 
the  Glory  of  God  they  must  represent!  And  the  Re- 
deemed in  their  heavenly  city  shall  know,  understand 
and  enjoy  it  all.  What  wonderful,  unspeakable  glory 
is  ahead  of  us!  May  we  look  forward  to  it  every  day 
and  willingly  serve  and  suffer  the  little  while  down  here. 

The  city  itself  was  seen  by  John  as  of  pure  gold. 
Gold  typifies  the  righteousness  of  God  in  His  nature 
and  such  the  holy  city  is,  composed  of  the  Saints  who 
were  made  through  grace  the  partakers  of  the  divine 
nature.  "And  the  twelve  gates  were  twelve  pearls, 
each  one  of  the  several  gates  were  of  one  pearl,  and 
the  street  of  the  city  was  pure  gold  as  it  were  transparent 
glass."  How  suitable  the  pearl  to  form  each  gate, 
the  entrance  to  the  city  divine.  The  Pearl  is  a  type  of 

*T.  Baines. 


166  THE  REVELATION 

;h.  She  is  the  one  pearl  of  great  price  for 
which  the  Lord  gave  all  He  had  (Matt.  xiii:45-46). 
And  the  golden  street  like  unto  pure  glass  shows  that 
all  the  ways  and  walks  in  that  city  are  according  to 
righteousness  and  defilment  is  eternally  impossible. 

And  there  was  no  temple  in  that  city;  the  Lord 
God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it. 
There  is  no  need  any  longer  of  a  certain  access  into  the 
presence  of  God,  as  it  was  on  earth,  but  there  is  a  free 
an  unhindered  fellowship  with  God  and  with  His  ever 
blessed  Son,  the  Lamb.  Precious  it  is  to  hear  Him 
again  mentioned  as  the  Lamb.  His  blessed  work 
which  He  accomplished  can  never  be  forgotten  by  the 
Saints  in  Glory.  And  the  light  is  not  created  light, 
but  the  light  is  the  Glory  of  God  and  the  lamp  thereof 
is  the  Lamb.  The  Glory  of  God  and  Christ  the  Lamb 
of  God  will  be  the  light  and  supersede  all  created  light. 

"And  the  nations  shall  walk  by  its  light  and  the 
kings  of  the  earth  bring  their  glory  and  honor  unto  it*; 
and  the  gates  of  it  shall  not  be  shut  at  all  by  day  for 
there  shall  be  DCLnight.  there.  And  they  shall  bring 
the  glory  and  honor  of  the  nations  unto  it."  From  this 
we  learn  that  the  glory  light  which  shines  eternally  and 
undiminished  in  the  holy  city  is  the  light  in  which  the 
saved  yillenniftl  nations  on  the  earth  walk.  And  the 
kings  of  the  earth  bring'  their  glory  and  honor  unto  it; 
not  "into"  as  it  is  rendered  in  the  Authorized  Version. 
The  heavejis  then  rule,  for  Christ  and  His  co-heirs 
are  in  that  holy  city,  and  the  government  and  rule 
over  the  earth  proceeds  from  there.  The  kings  bring 


*This  is  the  better  rendering. 


THE  REVELATION  167 

their  glory  and  honor  unto  it,  they  bow  in  homage  in 
the  presence  of  the  holy  city.  Heaven  is  acknowledged 
as  the  source  of  all  light,  glory  and  blessing.  When  the 
nations  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  go  up  to  Jerusalem 
to  worship  the  Lord  of  Hosts  during  the  millennial  age 
(Psalm  lxxii:8-ll;  Is.  lx:l-3;  Zech.  xiv:16)  we  doubt 
not,  they  will  turn  their  faces  upward.  Mount  Zion 
in  Israel's  land  will  have  resting  upon  it  the  glory  and 
then  above  it  the^yision  of  the__City_  in  which  the 
Glory  dwells  and  from  which  the  Glory  emanates. 
And  unto  it  they  bring  the  honor  and  the  glory.  The 
open  gates,  never  closed,  denote  security  and  suggest 
also  communication  and  intercourse  with  the  earth. 
"There  shall  be  no  night  there";  the  night  of  sin  and 
sorrow  is  forever  gone  for  the  dwellers  in  the  holy  city. 
"And  there  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it  anything  that 
defileth,  neither  whatsoever  worketh  abomination,  or 
maketh  a  lie,  but  they  which  are  written  in  the  Lamb's 
book  of  life." 

Chapter  XXH.  The  River  and  the  Tree  of  Life. 
Verses  1-2.  "And  he  shewed  me  a  pure  river  of  water 
of  life,  bright  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne 
of  God  and  of  the  Lamb.  In  the  midst  of  the  street 
of  it,  and  on  either  side  of  the  river  was  the  tree  of 
life,  bearing  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  yielding  its  fruit 
every  month,  and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  were  for  the 
healing  of  the  nations."  We  must  remember  that 
this  is  the  heavenly  Jerusalenylhe  holy  city  over  the 
earth.  The  Jerusalem  on  the  earth  in  her  millennial 
glory  has  also  a  river  of  water.  Ezekiel  in  his  great 
temple  vision  describes  that  stream.  "Afterward  he 


•^^^ 


168  THE  REVELATION 

brought  me  again  unto  the  door  of  the  house,  and 
behold  waters  issued  out  from  under  the  threshold  of 
the  house  eastward"  (Ez.  xlvii:!).  And  Zechariah  in 
his  final  vision,  in  the  chapter  in  which  we  see  "His 
feet  standing  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives,"  tells  of  that 
stream.  "And  it  shall  be  in  that  day  that  living 
waters  shall  go  out  from  Jerusalem"  (Zech.  xiv:8). 
That  stream  of  living  water  flowing  forth  from  the 
earthly  Jerusalem  is  no  doubt  a  real  river  of  water, 
healing,  as  it  will,  the  waters  of  the  Dead  Sea.  It  also 
denotes  the  spiritual  blessings  which  will  flow  forth 
from  Jerusalem.  But  the  pure  river  of  water  of  life, 
bright  as  crystal,  in  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  does  not 
proceed  from  the  temple,  but  from  the  throne  of  God 
and  the  Lamb.  The  heavenly  river  is  in  the  fullest 
sense  of  the  word  the  symbol  of  all  life,  blessing,  joy, 
peace  and  all  the  spiritual  blessings  the  Saints  possess 
and  enjoy.  And  when  we  examine  Ezekiel  xlvii  again 
we  find  something  which  corresponds  with  this  vision 
of  the  heavenly  city.  "And  by  the  river  upon  the  bank 
thereof,  on  this  side  and  on  that  side,  shall  grow  every 
tree  for  meat,  whose  leaf  shall  bring  forth  new  fruit 
according  to  his  months,  because  their  waters  issued  out 
of  the  sanctuary,  and  the  fruit  thereof  shall  be  for 
meat,  and  the  leaf  thereof  for  healing"  (Ez.  xlvii:  12). 
We  repeat,  this  will  be  in  the  Jerusalem  on  the  earth. 
Well  has  it  been  said  "the  earthly  things  are  moulded 

X  after  the  heavenly"  (See  Ex.  xxv:40;  xxvi:30;  xxvii:8). 

9  The  river  on  earth  with  its  trees,  fruits  and  healing,  is 
but  a  shadow  of  the  tree  of  life,  bearing  twelve  manner 
of  fruits,  in  the  Jerusalem  above.  The  tree  of  life 
reminds  us  of  Eden.  It  was  there,  but  Adam  did  not 


THE  REVELATION  169 

eat  of  it  in  his  unfallen  state  and  when  he  became  a 
transgressor  by  eating  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge 
of  good  and  evil,  the  way  to  the  tree  of  life  was  barred 
by  the  Cherubim  with  the  naming  sword.  Eating  of 
that  tree  would  have  meant  for  Adam  to  live  forever 
as  to  the  body.*  And  here  in  the  holy  city  the  tree 
of  life  is  seen  and  the  blessed  fruit  from  it  is  eaten.  The 
tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  is  no  longer  seen. 
As  another  has  said  "that  tree  whose  taste  brought 
death,  was  withered  up  by  the  cross."  And  the 
millennial  earth  receives  the  blessing  from  these 
glorious  conditions  above.  The  light  from  above,  as 
we  sawj  is  the  light  in  which  the  millennial  nations  walk; 
the  government  proceeds  from  above  and  the  leaves  of 
the  tree  of  life  are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  But 
the  Saints  above  eat  the  fruits  of  that  tree.  But 
what  will  this  all  mean!  Surely  the  half  has  not  been 
told. 

5.  The  Seven  Glories  of  the  Redeemed.  Verses  3-5. 
Unspeakably  beautiful  and  glorious  are  the  concluding 
statements  of  this  glory-section  -of  the  Revelation. 
Seven  glories  of  the  Redeemed  are  enumerated.  1. 
There  will  be  no  more  curse.  It  means  a  perfect 
sinlessness;  perfect  holiness.  2.  The  throne  of  God 
and  of  the  Lamb  is  there  and  the  redeemed  are  forever 
linked  with  that  throne.  It  is  a  perfect  and  blessed 
government  which  can  never  be  disturbed  by  disorder. 
3.  His  servants  shall  serve  Him.  Heaven  will  not 
consist  in  idleness.  The  holy  city  knows  of  service. 
And  the  service  the  Saints  will  render  to  God  in  glory 

*He  did  not  lose  immortality  of  soul  by  his  transgression. 


170  THE  REVELATION 

will  be  a  perfect  service.  What  will  it  be?  We  do 
not  know  what  service  it  will  be.  God  will  have  many 
surprises  for  His  Saints  in  glory.  4.  There  is  also  an 
eternal  vision.  "And  they  shall  see  His  face."  Oh! 
joy  of  all  the  joys  in  glory  to  see  Him  as  He  is  and  never 
lose  sight  of  Him  in  all  eternity.  5.  His  name  shall 
be  in  their  foreheads.  It  tells  of  eternal  ownership 
and  eternal  possession.  His  name  and  the  Glory 
connected  with  it  will  be  ours  in  eternal  ages.  6.  An 
eternal  day.  No  more  night;  no  need  of  any  light. 
He  is  the  light  for  all  eternity.  7.  An  eternal  reign. 
And  they  shall  reign  forever  and  ever.  What  glory 
and  blessedness  all  this  means.  Such  are  the  coming 
glories  of  the  Redeemed.  Oh!  the  deceitfulness  of  sin 
and  Satan's  power  to  blind  the  eyes  of  humanity! 
They  prefer  to  serve  sin  and  the  master  who  stands 
behind  sin  and  despise  such  riches  of  glory  which  the 
grace  of  God  offers  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  every 
sinner.  Reader!  what  will  be  your  home  in  eternity? 

Tenth  Division.    The  Final  Messages. 
Chapter  XXII :  6-21 

Chapter  XXII.  The  Angel's  Message.  Verses 
6-11.  The  Prophetic  Part  of  the  Revelation  is  ended 
and  the  Epilogue,  containing  the  final  messages  of  the 
Book,  remains  to  be  considered.  Once  more  the 
assurance  is  given  that  these  sayings  (words)  are 
faithful  and  true.  In  chapter  xxi:5  God  Himself  had 
commanded  to  write  for  these  words  are  faithful  and 
true.  Here  it  is  an  angel  who  speaks.  "And  the  Lord 
God  of  the  holy  Prophets  (literal:  of  the  spirits  of  the 


THE  REVELATION  171 

Prophets)  sent  his  angel  to  show  unto  His  servants 
the  things  which  must  shortly  be  done."  This  reminds 
us  of  the  beginning  of  the  book,  where  we  find  a  similar 
announcement.  Suddenly  some  day  these  things  will 
come  to  pass.  The  Lord  will  call  His  people  to  glory 
in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  and  then  these 
things  John  had  beheld  will  shortly  come  to  pass.  And 
then  His  own  voice  breaks  in:  "Behold  I  come  quickly; 
Blessed  is  He  that  keepeth  the  sayings  of  the  prophecy 
of  this  Book."  Three  times  we  find  this  announcement 
in  the  last  chapter  (verses  7,  12  and  20).  Here  it  is 
connected  with  the  walk  of  the  believer.  Just  as  in  the 
beginning  of  the  book  a  blessing  is  pronounced  upon 
them  that  read  the  words  of  this  prophecy  (i:3),  so 
we  have  at  the  close  of  Revelation  a  similar  beatitude. 
And  keeping  these  blessed  words  means  more  than 
believing  in  them;  their  power  is  to  shape  our  conduct 
and  walk.  What  godly  lives  God's  people  would 
live  on  earth,  what  unselfish  and  sacrificing  lives,  if 
they  remembered  constantly  Him  who  thus  testifies 
three  times  in  the  last  chapter  of  the  Bible  "Behold 
I  come  quickly."  And  the  awful  results  in  Christen- 
dom to-day  for  not  having  kept  the  sayings  of  the 
Prophecy  of  this  Book.  The  nations  to-day  would 
not  be  fighting  and  killing  as  they  do  if  they  believed 
the  sayings  of  this  Prophecy.  And  John  fell  down  to 
worship  before  the  feet  of  the  angel,  who  had  been  the 
instrument  to  show  him  these  things.  But  this  angel 
like  the  other  angel  in  chapter  xix:10  refused  the  worship 
of  the  Apostle.  The  humility  of  angels  is  a  forgotten 
truth.  They  have  nothing  of  the  crime  of  the  devil, 
which  is  pride,  in  themselves;  they  honor  and  worship 


172  THE  REVELATION 

God  and  are  jealous  of  His  rights.  What  an  answer 
to  Romanism  the  angels  are  in  their  rejection  of 
worship!  Very  foolishly  some  people  have  used  the 
angel's  words  "Worship  God"  as  an  indication  that 
the  Lord  Jesus  should  not  be  worshipped.  One  of 
these  teachers  approached  the  writer  with  this  strange 
assertion  and  demanded  scriptural  proof  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  should  be  worshipped.  We  referred  him  to 
John  v:23.  And  he  owes  us  still  the  reply  to  our 
letter. 

Then  the  Seer  is  told  not  to  seal  the  sayings  of  this 
Prophecy.  Daniel  was  told  to  do  the  opposite  (Dan. 
xii:4).  Old  Testament  prophecy  reveals  prophetic 
events  in  the  far  distance.  They  could  then  not  be 
fully  comprehended.  But  after  Christ  came  and  the 
full  revelation  of  things  to  come  is  given,  no  sealing  is 
needed;  the  events  are  at  hand,  yet  grace  has  delayed 
and  delays  still  the  fulfillment.  And  the  heavenly  mess- 
enger announces  also  the  fixed  state  of  the  two  classes 
into  which  all  humanity  is  divided.  The  unjust  and 
filthy,  the  unsaved,  continue  to  exist  in  the  nature  which 
they  possess  and  the  fact  that  the  desires  of  that 
corrupt  nature  can  no  longer  be  gratified  must  consti- 
tute in  itself  an  unspeakable  torment.  The  righteous 
and  holy,  those  saved  by  grace,  partakers  of  the 
divine  nature  will  always  be  righteous  and  holy. 
Utterly  false  is  it  to  teach,  as  it  is  being  done,  that  the 
righteous  are  Christians  who  are  justified,  and  the 
holy  are  the  "believers  who  made  a  deeper  experience." 
Every  Christian  who  is  justified  by  faith  is  also 
sanctified. 

2.   The  Message  of  the  Lord.     Verses  12-13.    And 


THE  REVELATION  173 

now  the  Lord  speaks  again.  For  the  second  time 
He  announces  His  coming.  Here  it  is  in  connection 
with  rewards.  "My  reward  is  with  Me."  He  Him- 
self will  receive  His  reward  which  is  due  Him  as  the 
sin-bearer.  He  will  see  the  travail  of  His  soul  and  be 
satisfied.  And  with  His  coming,  His  own  people 
will  receive  their  rewards.  What  a  stimulating  power 
His  soon  coming  is  to  service!  And  the  coming  One 
is  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last,  the 
beginning  and  the  end. 

3.  The  Two  Classes.     Verses  14-15.     Once  more  the 
two  classes  come  into  view.     This  is  in  fullest  keeping 
with  the  end  of  the  Book  and  the  end  of  the  Bible. 
The   Authorized   Version   here  is   faulty.     Instead   of 
"Blessed  are  they  that  do  His  commandments"  the 
correct  reading  is  "Blessed  are  they  that  wash  their 
robes."     The  former  is  an  interpolation;    the  latter  is 
the  divine  statement.*     Eternal  life  and  eternal  glory 
cannot  be  obtained  by   keeping  commandments,  by 
the  works  of  the  law.    The  blood  of  the  Lamb  alone 
is  the  title  to  glory.     And  then  the  other  class.     The 
one  who   rejects   Christ   and   thereby   denies   his   lost 
condition  and  need  of  a  Saviour,  loveth  and  maketh  a 
lie.     He  lives   according  to  the  old   nature  and  the 
fruits  of  the  flesh  are  there. 

4.  The  Final  Testimony  of  Christ  Concerning  Him- 
self.      Verse  16.     How  He  speaks  in  this  last  Bible 
book!     In  the  beginning  of  Revelation  we  find  His 


*A11  leading  scholars  like  Alford,  Darby,  etc.,  make  the  change. 
Even  the  Vulgate  has  it  " Beati,  qui  lavant  stolas  suas  in  sanguinem 
Agni." 


174  THE  REVELATION 

self-witness  in  the  church-message  and  once  more  we 
hear  His  voice,  bearing  testimony  to  Himself.  How 
majestic,  I,  Jesus!  He  reveals  Himself  once  more 
by  the  name  of  humiliation.  What  comfort  it  must 
have  been  to  John!  What  comfort  it  is  to  us!  Then 
He  speaks  of  Himself  as  the  Root  and  Offspring  of 
David.  He  is  David's  Lord  and  David's  son  (Psalm 
cx:l).  He  is  the  Hope  of  Israel  and  in  Him  the  promises 
made  to  David  will  all  be  realized.  This  will  be  the 
case  when  He  comes  to  reign  in  power  and  great 
glory.  But  He  also  speaks  of  Himself  as  "the  bright 
and  morning-star."  His  coming  in  power  and  glory 
is  the  sun-rise  for  Israel  and  the  Gentiles,  the  breaking 
of  the  millennial  day.  But  for  His  Church  He  comes 
first  as  the  morning-star,  as  the  morning-star  in  the 
eastern  sky  precedes  the  rising  of  the  sun  in  all  His 
glory. 

5.  The  Answer  of  the  Spirit  and  the  Bride.  Verse 
17.  As  soon  as  He  mentions  Himself  as  the  morning- 
star,  there  is  an  answer  from  the  earth.  The  Spirit 
now  down  here,  for  He  came  down  from  heaven  on 
Pentecost  and  the  Bride,  the  Church,  say,  "Come." 
It  is  addressed  to  the  Lord.  They  both  long  for 
His  coming.  And  each  individual  believer  who  heareth 
is  asked  to  join  in  with  this  "Come."  Surely  in  these 
days  of  darkness  and  world-confusion,  the  Spirit 
saith,  "Come!"  And  never  before  were  there  so  many 
individual  believers  on  earth  who  say  "Come,"  who 
wait  for  His  coming.  And  the,  Come — from  loving 
hearts  will  increase  and  become  a  loud  and  pleading 
cry,  till  one  blessed  day  He  will  answer  and  come 
to  take  His  waiting  people  home.  Here  also  is  the 


THE  REVELATION  175 

final  Gospel  message  of  the  Bible.  He  that  will 
let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely.  Once  more  a 
loving  God  makes  it  clear  that  the  water  of  life  is  free 
to  all  who  want  it.  It  is  the  last  "Whosoever"  in  the 
Bible. 

6.  The  Final  Warning.     Verses  18-19.     And  what 
a  solemn  warning  is  given!     In  a  larger  sense  the  warn- 
ing applies  to  the  entire  Word  of  God.     Higher  criti- 
cism, which  takes  away,  and  false  teachers,  who  add 
unto   it,  find   written  here  their   deserved  judgment. 
But  the  Revelation  is  specially  in  view.     Whosoever 
meddles   with   His   Revelation    must   fall   under   the 
severest   divine   displeasure.     Beware!   oh   ye   critics! 
Beware!  ye  who  call  this  Book  un-inspired  and  warn 
against  the  study  of  it! 

7.  The    Final    Message.     The    Final    Prayer.     The 
Final  Benediction.     Verses  20-21.     We  reach  the  final 
statements  of  this  great  Book.     For  the  third  time  He 
announces    His    Coming.     "He    that    testifieth    these 
things  saith,  surely  I  came  quickly."     It  is  the  last 
time  our  Lord  spoke  from  heaven.     The  next  time  His 
voice  will  be  heard  will  be  on  that  day    when  He 
descends   out   of   heaven   with    a    shout.     While   the 
two  former  announcements  of  His  coming  found  in  this 
chapter  are  preceded  by  the  word,  "Behold,"  this  last 
one  affirms  the  absolute  certainty  of  the  event.    And 
there  is  the  answer,  the  blessed   response.     "Amen. 
Even  so  come  Lord  Jesus."     It  is  the  Church  which 
answers  His  positive  and  certain  announcement.     It 
is  the  last  word  recorded  in  the  Bible  coming  from  the 
lips  of  man.     The  first  word  we  hear  man  address  to 
the  Lord  in  the  Bible  is  the  solemn  word  "I  heard  thy 


176  THE  REVELATION 

voice  in  the  garden,  and  I  was  afraid"  (Gen.  iii:10). 
The  last  word  addressed  to  the  Lord  by  redeemed  man 
is  "even  siV-CojneJLprd  Jesus."  And"  between  these 
two  utterances  in  Genesis  anct  Revelation  is  the  story 
of  redemption.  Well  might  this  final  prayer  of  the 
Bible  be  termed,  the  forgotten  prayer.  But  it  is 
equally  true,  with  the  revival  of  the  study  of  prophecy, 
more  hearts  and  lips  are  praying  to-day  for  His  Coming, 
as  never  before.  And  the  prayer  will  be  answered. 
May  the  reader  and  the  writer  pray  for  His  Coming 
daily  and  may  our  lives  too  bear  witness  to  the  fact 
that  we  expect  Him  to  answer  the  petition  of  His 
people.  The  final  benediction  assures  us  once 'more 
of  the  Grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  better 
rendering  is  "The  Grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be 
with  all  the  .Saints."  Grace  in  all  its  divine  and 
never  failing  fullness  will  sustain  all  the  Saints,  till 
they  are  gathered  in  the  Father's  house. 

Our  task  is  finished.  Humbly  we  put  it  into 
His  hands  and  lay  this  exposition  at  His  feet.  If, 
it  pleases  Him  to  use  it  in  making  the  future,  coming 
things,  and  especially  His  own  person  and  glory,  a 
greater  reality  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  His  people,  we 
shall  forever  praise  Him. 


THE  REVELATION  177 

APPENDIX  I. 

The  Seventy- Week  Prophecy* 
Daniel  ix:24-27. 

A  Corrected  Text  of  the  Prophecy.  The  Authorized 
Version  is  somewhat  incorrect.  We  give  therefore  first 
of  all  a  corrected  translation. 

Seventy  weeks  are  apportioned  out  upon  thy  people  and  upon 
thy  holy  city  to  finish  the  transgression  and  to  make  an  end  of 
sins,  and  to  cover  iniquity,  and  to  bring  in  the  righteousness  of 
the  ages,  and  to  seal  the  vision  and  prophet,  and  to  anoint  the 
holy  of  holies.  Know  therefore  and  understand:  From  the 
going  forth  of  the  word  to  restore  and  to  rebuild  Jerusalem  unto 
Messiah,  the  Prince,  shall  be  Seven  Weeks  and  Sixty-two  Weeks. 
The  street  and  the  wall  shall  be  built  again,  even  in  troublous 
times.  And  after  the  Sixty-two  Weeks  shall  Messiah  be  cut 
off,  and  shall  have  nothing;  and  the  people  of  the  prince  that 
shall  come  shall  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary;  and  the 
end  thereof  shall  be  with  an  overflow,  and  unto  the  end  war,  the 
desolations  determined.  And  he  shall  confirm  a  covenant  with 
the  many  for  one  week;  and  in  the  midst  of  the  week  he  shall 
cause  the  sacrifice  and  the  oblation  to  cease  and  because  of  the 
protection  of  abominations  there  shall  be  a  desolator,  even  until 
the  consummation  and  what  is  determined  shall  be  poured  out 
upon  the  desolatcr  (verses  24-27). 

What  are  the  Seventy  Weeks?  To  many  readers  of 
the  Book  of  Daniel  it  is  not  quite  clear  what  the  expres- 
sion "seventy  weeks"  means  and  when  it  is  stated  that 
each  week  represents  a  period  of  seven  years,  many 
Christians  do  not  know  why  such  is  the  case.  A  brief 
word  of  explanation  may  therefore  be  in  order.  The 

*This  Prophecy  is  of  such  importance  in  the  Study  of  Revela- 
tion that  we  quote  the  exposition  as  given  in  our  Book  on  Daniel. 


178  THE  REVELATION 

literal  translation  of  the  term  "seventy  weeks"  is  "sev- 
enty sevens."  Now  this  word  "sevens"  translated 

"weeks"  may  mean  "days"  and  it  may  mean  "years." 

^™^"™^fc  ^.B^J—V  *»«««^^ 

What  then  is  meant  here,  seventy  times  seven  days  or 
seventy  times  seven  years?  It  is  evident  that  the 
"sevens"  mean  year  weeks,  seven  years  to  each  pro- 
phetic week.  Daniel  was  occupied  in  reading  the 
books  and  in  prayer  with  the  seventy  years  of  the 
Babylonian  captivity.  And  now  Gabriel  is  going  to 
reveal  to  him  something  which  will  take  place  in 
"seventy  sevens,"  which  means  seventy  times  seven 
years.  The  proof  that  such  is  the  case  is  furnished  by 
the  fulfillment  of  the  prophecy  itself.  Now  seventy 
times  seven  years  makes  490  years. 

What  is  to  be  Accomplished?  Verse  24  gives  the  great 
things,  which  are  to  be  accomplished  during  these  sev- 
enty year  weeks  or  490  years.  They  are  the  following: 
(1)  To  finish  the  transgression.  (2)  To  make  an  end 
of  sins.  (3)  To  cover  iniquity.  (4)  To  bring  in  the 
righteousness  of  ages.  (5)  To  seal  the  vision  and 
x  prophet.  (6)  To  anoint  the  Holy  of  Holies. 

Now  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  these  things  con- 
cern exclusively  Daniel's  people  and  not  Gentiles  but 
the  holy  city  Jerusalem.  It  is  clear  that  the  finishing  of 
transgression,  the  end  of  sins  and  the  covering  of  in- 
iquity has  a  special  meaning  for  Israel  as  a  nation. 
The  foundation  upon  which  this  future  work  of  Grace 
for  His  earthly  people  rests  is  the  death  of  Christ.  Our 
blessed  Lord  "died  for  that  nation""  as  He  also  died  for 
us  who  are  sinners  of  the  Gentiles  (John  xi:50).  Up  to 
now  the  transgression  of  the  Jewish  people  is  not  yet 
finished,  nor  is  for  them  "an  end  made  of  sins."  The 


THE  REVELATION  179 

death  of  Christ  has  made  this  possible  for  the  nations, 
but  before  it  becomes  a  reality  this  period  of  time,  490 
years,  must  have  passed,  and  when  they  are  accorri-" 
plished  the  transgression  of  His  people  will  be  finished 
and  all  the  other  blessings  will  come  upon  them.  That 
will  be  according  to  other  Scriptures  when  the  times 
of  the  Gentiles  end  and  when  the  Son  of  Man,  the  re- 
jected One,  appears  the  second  time.  Then  "He  shall 
turn  away  ungodliness  from  Jacob"  and  "will  take  away 
their  sins"  (Rom.  xi:26-27).  Many  passages  in  the 
prophetic  Word  reveal  the  same  promises  of  national 
cleansing  and  forgiveness,  into  which  we  cannot  enter 
more  fully.  We  see  at  once  that  the  blessings  prom- 
ised here  to  Daniel's  people  and  to  the  holy  city  refer 
us  to  the  time  when  the  Son  of  Man  is  manifested,  the 
time  when  the  remnant  of  the  nation  shall  look  upon 
Him  whom  they  have  pierced  (Zech.  xii). 

At  the  same  time  when  God  will  be  merciful  to  His 
people  and  cover  their  iniquity  "the  righteousness  of 
the  ages"  will  be  brought  in.  This  means  the  begin- 
ning of  that  age  of  blessing,  which  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment is  called  "the  dispensation  of  the  fullness  of  times" 
(Ephes.  i:10),  in  which  the  King  shall  reign  in  righteous- 
ness. Then  righteousness  will  be  established  upon  this 
earth  and  the  holy  city,  as  Gabriel  calls  Jerusalem,  will 
not  only  be  a  sharer  of  the  blessings  and  glory,  but  will 
herself  be  righteous.  It  is  written  of  Jerusalem  "after- 
ward thou  shall  be  callled,  The  City  of  righteousnes" 
(Isaiah  i:26).  Still  greater  is  Jeremiah's  word  he  re- 
ceived from  the  Lord  concerning  that  day  when  the 
righteousness  of  the  ages  has  come. 

Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  perform  that 


180  THE  REVELATION 

good  thing  which  I  have  promised  unto  the  house  of  Israel  and 
to  the  house  of  Judah.  In  those  days,  and  at  that  time,  will  I 
cause  the  Branch  of  righteousness  to  grow  up  unto  David;  and 
he  shall  execute  Judgment  and  righteousness  in  the  land.  In 
those  days  shall  Judah  be  saved,  and  Jerusalem  shall  dwell  safely 
and  this  is  the  name  wherewith  she  shall  be  called,  The  Lord  our 
righteousness  (Jeremiah  xxxiii,  14-16). 

The  vision  and  prophecy  will  be  sealed,  that  is  ac- 
-^r^djted,  because  their  final  accomplishment  has  been 
reached  in  these  events  of  blessings  for  God's  earthly 
people.  Also  the  Holy  of  Holies  will  be  anointed,  a 
statement  which  many  have  applied  to  our  Lord.  It 
has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  Him,  but  it  is  the 
anointing  of  the  Holy  of  Holies  in  another  temple, 
which  will  stand  in  the  midst  of  Jerusalem.  Of  this 
great  millennial  temple  the  prophetic  Word  is  not 
silent.  The  other  great  prophet  of  the  captivity, 

Ezekiel,  had  a  great  vision  of  this  temple  and  its  wor- 
-*i   ^. 

ship. 

It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  grasp  the  thought 
that  these  things  have  nothing  to  do  with  Gentiles  or 
with  the  Church.  They  concern  Daniel's  people,  the 
Jews  and  Jerusalem.  If  this  had  been  understood 
the  learned  commentators  would  not  have  invented 
that  misleading,  blundering  interpretation  of  the 
seventy  weeks  prophecy  which  is  so  universally  taught 
in  our  day.  We  shall  touch  upon  these  errors  in  the 
course  of  our  exposition. 

The  Division  of  the  Seventy  Weeks. '  After  the  general 
announcement  of  the  seventy  sevens  and  what  is  to  be 
accomplished  for  Jerusalem  and  Daniel's  people  when 
this  prophetic  period  of  t)me  expires,  Gabriel  gives  fur- 
ther information  to  the  Prophet.  This  information  is 


THE  REVELATION  181 

introduced  by  the  exhortation  to  know  and  to  under- 
stand or  to  discriminate.  What  follows  is  the  division 
of  the  seventy  weeks  into  three  parts.  The  first  part 
consists  of  seven  year  weeks,  that  is  49  years.  The 
second  part  consists  of  sixty-two  weeks  or  434  years, 
then  there  is  one  week,  the  seventieth,  left,  which  gives 
us  the  third  part. 

The  Beginning  of  the  Seventy  Weeks.  We  have  to 
ascertain  in  examining  the  prophetic  history  of  these 
different  divisions  when  the  seventy  year  weeks  began. 
If  we  were  to  touch  upon  the  different  views  and  ex- 
planations, which  have  been  made  on  this  point  we 
would  have  to  fill  numerous  pages.  One  is  reminded 
/of  Job  xxxviii:2  in  reading  the  theories  of  commen- 
/  tators,  "Who  is  this  that  darkeneth  counsel  by  words 
\  without  knowledge?"  The  text  is  very  plain.  We 
read  the  definite  beginning  in  verse  25.  It  is  when  the 
command  was  to  be  given  to  restore  and  build  Jerusa- 
lem. From  that  time  to  Messiah  the  Prince  are  to  be 
seven  weeks  and  sixty-two  weeks,  that  is  483  years. 
Now  it  is  wrong  to  reckon  these  seventy  year  weeks 
from  the  time  Daniel  prayed  or  from  the  time  Cyrus 
gave  permission  for  the  people  to  return  and  to  build 
the  temple.  In  Ezra  chapter  i,  we  read  that  it  was  in 
the  first  year  of  Cyrus,  King  of  Persia,  that  the  Lord 
stirred  him  up,  whose  coming  and  work  Isaiah  had  an- 
nounced long  before  his  birth.  Significant  is  the 
proclamation,  which  Cyrus  sent  forth.  But  is  has  only 
to  do  with  the  building  of  the  temple  in  Jerusalem. 
"The  Lord  of  heaven  has  given  me  all  the  Kingdoms 
of  the  earth;  and  He  hath  charged  me  to  build  Him  a 
house  at  Jerusalem,  which  is  in  Judah."  But  this  edict 


182  THE  REVELATION 

is  not  the  starting  point  of  the  seventy  year  weeks,  for 
they  are  to  begin  with  the  word  to  restore  and  build 
the  city  itself  But  in  the  Book  of  Ezra  also  we  find  in 
chapter  vii  what  happened  in  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes, 
King  of  Persia,  known  in  history  as  Artaxerxes  Longi- 
manus.  In  the^seventh  year  of  his  reign  another  edict 
was  issued,  but  a  careful  reading  will  show  that  the  com- 
mand to  restore  and  build  Jerusalem  was  not  given  in 
the  seventh  year  of  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes.  We  have 
to  turn  to  the  second  chapter  in  Nehemiah's  writings  to 
discover  the  beginning  of  these  seventy  year  weeks. 
Then  in  the  twentieth  year  of  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes 
the  command  was  given  to  restore  and  build  Jerusalem. 
From  this  time  then  the  seventy  year  weeks  must  be 
reckoned.  This  twentieth  year  of  Artaxerxes  was  the 
year  445  B.  C.,  which  is  proven  historically.  The  year 
is  not  alone  mentioned  in  Nehemiah  ii  but  also  the 
nth.  It  was  in  Nisan.  The  seventy  year  weeks 
an  therefore  in  the  month  of  Nisan  445B._£|. 

When  we  read  that  "the  street  and  tEewall  shall  be 
built  again,  even  in  troublous  time"  and  then  up  to  the 
time  when  Messiah  is  to  be  cut  off,  it  should  be  sixty- 
two  year  weeks  (434  years),  we  have  the  time  revealed 
how  long  it  would  take  to  restore  the  city,  namely 
y^^even  year  weeks,  forty-nine  years. 

A  Remarkabl^  Prediction.  We  have  then  before  us 
'  a  remarkable  prediction.  The  exact  number  of  years 
are  given  when  Messiah  the  Prince,  He  who  is  the  Hope 
of  His  people  Israel,  should  appear.  But  still  more 
remarkable  is  the  fact  that  a  certain  event  of  His  life 
on  earth  is  predicted.  It  is  not  His  birth  which  is  to 
take  place  after  the  expiration  of  the  sixty-nine  year 


THE  REVELATION  183 

weeks,  but  He  is  to  be  "cut  off  and  shallhayejiothing.'* 
It  is  a  prediction  ofSfs  death  on  the  crossT  It  remains 
to  be  seen  if  this  has  found  its  literal  fulfillment  and  if 
Messiah  died  at  the  time  when  the  483  years  reckoned 
from  the  month  Nisan  445  B.  C.  had  expired.  Before 
we  do  so  we  must  call  here  attention  to  the  pernicious 
critics  of  the  Book  of  Daniel  and  their  methods. 

Because  the  critics  do  not  want  to  believe  that  it  is 
possible  to  predict  far  off  events,  such  as  are  written  in 
Daniel,  the  career  and  death  of  Alexander,  the  work  of 
Antiochus  Epiphanes  and  others,  they  invented  an  im- \. 
aginary  pious  Jew  who  wrote  the  Book  of  Daniel  after 
Antiochus  Epiphanes  had  been  on  the  scene.  Now  if 
this  were  true  and  such  a  "pious  Jew"  and  not  Daniel 
wrote  this  book,  how  can  it  be  explained  that  after  all 
there  is  a  prediction  made  which  clearly  points  to  the 
death  of  Christ  and  which  also  outlines  the  result  upon 
the  city  of  Jerusalem,  that  the  people  of  the  Prince  to 
come  are  to  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary?  These 
gentlemen,  whose  habit  is  to  deny,  solved  the  difficulty 
here  by  denying  absolutely  that  the  person  called 
"Messiah  the  Prince"  is  Christ.  What  dishonest 
methods,  juggling  and  twisting  of  words,  they  have  used 
to  reach  this  conclusion  would  be  amusing,  if  it  were 
not  so  sad.  Chief  among  those  is  Canon  Farrar  on 
Daniel.  We  quote  from  his  book: 

"An  anointed  one  shall  be  cut  off."  There  can  be  no  reason- 
able doubt  that  this  is  a  reference  to  the  deposition  of  the 
high  priest  Onias  III,  and  his  murder  by  Adronicus  (B.  C.).  This 
startling  event  is  mentioned  in  2  Mace.  iv:34,  and  by  Josephus, 
and  in  Daniel  xi:22.  It  is  added  "and  no  ...  to  him." 
Perhaps  the  word  "helper"  (xi:45)  has  fallen  out  of  the  text,  as 
Graetz  supposes;  or  the  words  may  mean  "there  is  no  (priest)  for 


184  THE  REVELATION 

it  (the  people)."  The  A.  V.  renders  it  "but  not  for  himself";  and 
in  the  margin  "and  shall  have  nothing";  or  "and  they  (the  Jews) 
shall  be  no  more  his  people."  The  R.  V.  renders  it  "and  shall 
have  nothing."  I  believe  with  Dr.  Joel  that,  in  the  Hebrew 
words  "veeyn  lo"  there  may  be  a  sort  of  cryptographic  allusion 
to  the  name  Onias.  "The  people  of  the  coming  prince  shall 
devastate  the.  city  and  the  sanctuary  (translation  uncertain). 
This  is  an  obvious  allusion  to  the  destruction  and  massacre 
inflicted  on  Jerusalem  by  Appolonius  and  the  army  of  Antiochus 
Epiphanes  (B.  C.  167),  Antiochus  is  called  the  prince  that  shall 
come  "because  he  was  at  Rome  when  Onias  III  was  murdered." 

But  enough  of  this;  the  way  these  men  try  to  avoid 
the  truth  and  by  their  reasoning  methods  try  to  get  rid 
of  everything  God's  people  have  believed  in  the  past,  is 
.sufficient  to  show  what  spirit  stands  behind  them. 

yidence  that  "Messiah  the  Prince"  is  Christ. 
The  questioirEhan  is  do  the  words  "Messiah  the  Prince" 
the  One  who  is  to  be  cut  off  and  nothing  for  him,  really 
mean  Christ  or  some  other  anointed  one,  as  the  critics 
claim?  The  evidence  that  it  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is 
furnished  in  the  most  remarkable  fulfillment  of  the 
prophecy  in  the  time  when  our  Lord  came  to  Jerusalem 
the  last  time  before  His  passion.  Exactly  483  years 
after  the  command  to  restore  and  build  Jerusalem  had 
been  given,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  entered  into  Jerusalem 
to  present  Himself  and  His  claims;  a  few  days  after  He 
was  nailed  to  the  cross.  This  has  been  shown  in  a  per- 
fect chronological  way  so  that  it  is  beyond  even  the 
shadow  of  a  doubt.  We  give  an  extract  from  "Daniel 
in  the  Critics'  Den"  which  shows  this  fact. 

If,  therefore,  the  vision  be  a  Divine  prophecy,  an  era  of  "Sixty- 
nine  weeks"  tltat  is  4S3  prophetic  years,  reckoned  from  the  14th 
of  March,  B.  C.,  445,  should  close  with  the  public  presentation 


THE  REVELATION  185 

and  death  of  "Messiah  the  Prince."  No  student  of  the  Gospels 
can  fail  to  see  that  the  Lord's  last  visit  to  Jerusalem  was  not  only 
in  fact,  but  in  intention  the  crisis  of  His  ministry.  From  the  time 
that  the  accredited  leaders  of  the  nation  had  rejected  His  Mes- 
sianic claims,  He  had  avoided  all  public  recognition  of  those 
claims.  But  now  His  testimony  had  been  fully  given,  and  the 
purpose  of  His  entry  into  the  capital  was  to  openly  proclaim  His 
Messiahship  and  to  receive  His  doom.  Even  His  apostles  them- 
selves had  again  and  again  been  charged  that  they  should  not 
make  Him  known;  but  now  He  accepted  the  acclamations  of  the 
whole  multitude  of  the  disciples.  And  when  the  Pharisees  pro- 
tested, He  silenced  them  with  the  indignant  rebuke,  "I  tell  you 
that  if  these  should  hold  their  peace  the  stones  would  immediate- 
ly cry  out."  These  words  can  only  mean  that  the  divinely  ap- 
pointed time  had  arrived  for  the  gublic  announcement  of  His  Mes- 
siahship, and  that  the  Divine  purpose  could  not  be  thwarted.  The 
full  significance  of  the  words  which  follow  is  lost  in  our  Authorized 
Version.  As  the  cry  was  raised  by  His  disciples,  "Hosanna  to 
the  Son  of  David,  blessed  is  the  King  of  Israel  that  cometh  in  the 
Name  of  the  Lord."  He  looked  off  towards  the  Holy  City  and 
exclaimed,  "If  thou  also  hadst  known,  even  ON  THIS  DAY,  the 
things  that  belong  to  thy  peace — but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine 
eyes!"  The  nation  had  already  rejected  Him,  but  this  was  the 
fateful  day  when  their  decision  must  be  irrevocable.  And  we  are 
expressly  told  that  it  was  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy,  "Shout  O 

/   daughter  of  Jerusalem;   behold  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee."     It 
was  the  only  occasion  on  which  His  kingly  claims  were  publicly 

^  ^announced. 

And  no  other  day  in  all  His  ministry  will  satisfy  the  words  of 
Daniel's  vision.  And  the  date  of  that  first  "Palm  Sunday"  can 
be  ascertained  with  certainty.  No  year  in  the  whole  field  of 
ancient  history  is  more  definitely  indicated  than  that  of  the  be- 
ginning of  our  Lord's  public  ministry.  According  to  the  Evange- 
list it  was  "the  fifteenth  year  of  Tiberius  Caesar"  (Luke  iii:l). 
Now  the  reign  of  Tiberius,  as  beginning  from  August  19,  A.  D.  14, 
was  as  well  known  a  date  in  the  time  of  Luke  as  the  regin  of 
Queen  Victoria  is  in  our  own  day.  The  Evangelist,  moreover, 
with  a  prophetic  anticipation  of  the  perverseness  of  expositors 


186 


THE  REVELATION 


and  "reconcilers"  goes  on  to  name  six  prominent  public  men  as 

holding  specified  positions  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  Tiberius,  and 

each  one  of  these  is  known  to  have  actually  held  the  position  thus 

assigned  to  him  in  the  year  in  question.     As,  therefore,  the  first 

Passover  of  the  Lord's  ministry  was  that  of  Nisan,  A.  D.  29,  the 

date  of  the  Passion  is  thus  fixed  by  Scripture  itself.     For  it  is  no 

longer  necessary  to  offer  proof  that  the  crucifixion  took  place  at 

the  fourth  Passover  of  the  ministry.     According  to  the  Jewish 

custom,  our  Lord  went  up  to  Jerusalem  on  the  8th  Nisan,  which, 

as  we  know,  fell  that  year  upon  a  Friday.     And  having  spent  the 

Sabbath  at  Bethany,  He  entered  the  Holy  City  the  following  day, 

as  recorded  in  the  Gospels.     The  Julian  date  of  that  10th  Nisan 

^  was  Sunday  the  6th  of  April,  A.  D.  32.     What  then  was  the 

„  length  of  the  period  intervening  between  the  issuing  of  the  decree 

to  rebuild  Jerusalem  and  this  public  advent  of  "Messiah  the 

Prince" — between  the  14th  of  March,  B.  C.  445,  and  the  6th  of 

^^f        April  A.  D.  32  (when  He  entered  into  Jerusalem)?     THE  IN- 

-c,     TERVAL  WAS  EXACTLY  AND  TO  THE  VERY  DAY  173, 

880  DAYS,  OR  SEVEN  TIMES  SIXTY-NINE  PROPHETIC 

^-     YEARS  OF  360  DAYS).* 


*From  B.  C.  445  to  A.  D.  32  is  476  years  =  173,740  days 
(476X365)  +116  days  for  leap  years.  And  from  14th  March  to 
V6th  April,  reckoned  inclusively  according  to  Jewish  practice)  is 
24  days.  But  173,746+116+24=  173,880.  And  69X7X360  = 
173,880. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  here  that  in  reckoning  years  from 
B.  C.  to  A.  D.  one  year  must  always  be  omitted;  for,  of  course, 

I      the  interval  between  B.  C.  1  and  A.  D.  1  is  not  two  years  but  one 
year.     In  fact  B.  C.  1  ought  to  be  called  B.  C.  0;   and  it  is  so  de- 
scribed by  astronomers,  with  whom   B.   C.     445   is   444.     And 
again,  as  the  Julian  year  is  11  m.  10.46  s.,  or  about  the  129th  part 
-  of  a  day,  longer  than  the  mean  solar  year,  the  Julian  calendar  has 
ree  leap  years  too  many  in  every  four  centuries.     This  error  is 
rrected  by  the  Gregorian  reform,  which  reckons  three  secular 
•  —  „   years  out  of  four  as  common  years.     For  instance,  1700,  1800,  and 
*jp  1900  were  common  years,  and  2000  will  be  a  leap  year. 


THE  REVELATION  187 

Here  then  is  perfect  evidence  that  "Messiah  the 
Prince,"  who  was  to  be  "cut  off  and  shall  have  nothing" 
is  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  He  appeared  in  Jerusalem 
on  exactly  the  day  on  which  the  sixty-nine  prophetic 
year  weeks  expired  and  a  few  days  later  He  was  put  to 
death  on  the  cross.  No  wonder  the  critics  invent  all 
kind  of  schemes  and  interpretations  to  get  rid,  so  to 
speak,  of  this  powerful  evidence  of  revelation. 

The  Hebrew  phrase  "veeyn  lo"  translated  in  the  Au- 
thorized Version,  but  not  for  Himself,  is  better  rendered 
by  "and  shall  have  nothing."  It  has  been  interpreted 
in  different  ways.  We  believe  it  means  that  He  did  JU 
not  receive  then  the  Messianic  kingdom.  He  was  re- 
jected by  His  own  and  received  not  that  which  belongs 
to  Him. 

The  Destruction  of  the  City  Predicted.  Linked  with 
the  cutting  off  of  Messiah  is  another  remarkable 
prophecy.  "And  the  people  of  the  prince  that  shall 
come  shall  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary;  and  the 
end  thereof  shall  be  with  an  overflow,  and  unto  the  end 
war — the  desolations  determined."  Judgment  ac- 
cording to  this  is  to  overtake  the  city  which  rejected  the 
Messiah  and  both  the  city  and  the  Temple  were  to  be 
destroyed.  This  work  was  to  be  done  "by  the  people 
of  the  prince  that  shall  come."  The  prince  of  course  is 
not  "Messiah  the  Prince,"  it  is  a  prince  that  shall  come. 
But  he  himself  is  nbt~to"*kstroy  the  city  and  the  sanc- 
tuary, but  the  people  from  whose  midst  that  coming 
prince  is  to  arise,  will  do  the  destructive  work.  Now, 
the  people  who  are  here  in  view,  are  the  Romans.  Out 
of  the  Roman  empire  there  shall  arise  in  the  future  a 
prince.  This  prince  or  chief  of  the  fourth  empire  is 


188  THE  REVELATION 

identical  with  the  little  horn  of  Daniel  vii.  Once  more 
the  head  of  the  restored  Roman  empire  as  it  is  to  be 
during  the  time  of  the  end  looms  up  before  us  in  the  last 
two  verses  of  this  chapter.  The  people  of  the  coming 
prince,  the  Romans,  were  to  come  and  destroy  both  city 
and  temple,  after  Messiah  had  been  cut  off  and  had 
nothing  for  Himself.  And  this  came  to  pass  as  every- 
body knows.  Our  Lord  had  predicted  this  doom  of 
Jerusalem  and  had  wept  over  it  as  He  beheld  the  awful 
doom  in  store  for  the  city.  The  Jews  had  anticipated 
what  would  come,  for  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees 
declared  "The  Romans  will  come  and  take  away  both 
our  place  and  our  nation"  (John  xi:48).  The  Romans 
under  Titus  Vespasianus  in  the  year  seventy  fulfilled 
this  prediction  and  in  that  year  the  prophecy  before  us 
became  history.  But  Titus  is  not  "the  prince  that 
shall  come." 

The  Future  of  the  Jews  Foretold.  Another  prophecy 
is  linked  with  the  one  just  examined.  "The  end  thereof 
shall  be  with  an  overflow,  and  unto  the  end  war — the 
desolations  determined."  These  words  give  us  the 
history  of  the  Jewish  people,  of  their  land  and  their  city, 
up  to  the  present  time.  It  is  identical  with  what  our 
Lord  said,  "and  they  shall  fall  by  the  edge  of  the  sword 
and  shall  be  led  away  captive  into  all  nations;  and 
Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles  until 
the  time  of  the  Gentiles  are  fulfilled"  (Luke  xxi:24). 
Both  the  prediction  as  communicated  to  Daniel  by 
Gabriel  and  the  words  of  our  Lord  tell  of  what  is  to  be 
the  lot  of  the  Jews  and  of  Jerusalem  throughout  this 
present  age,  till  the  end  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  has 


THE  REVELATION  189 

- 

been  reached.     History    gives  the  answer  about  th 
fulfillment  of  these  words. 

The  Seventieth  Year  Week.  We  have  found  up  to 
this  point  that  sixty-nine  weeks  ojL.483.  years  of  the 
seventy  year  weeks  are  past.  But  what  about  the 
remaining  seven  years,  the  seventieth  week?  The 
last  verse  of  Chapter  ix  tells  us  of  that  one  week.  It 
has  not  yet  come,  but  still  lies  in  the  future. 

The  course  of  the  seventy  year  weeks  was  inter- 
rupted by  the  rejection  of  Messiah  the  Prince,  who 
came  to  His  own  and  they  received  Him  notTWith  this 
event,  as  we  have  seen,  the  sixty-ninth  week  closed  and 
an  indefinite  period  of  unreckoned  time  follows;  when 
that  is  expired  the  last  prophetic  week  of  seven  years 
will  begin  and  run  its  appointed  course. 

A  close  scrutiny  of  the  twenty-sixth  verse  will  make 
this  clear.  While  we  know  that  the  Messiah  was  cut 
off  immediately  upon  the  close  of  the  sixty-ninth  week, 
nothing  is  said  about  the  time  when  the  destruction  of 
the  city  and  the  sanctuary  should  take  place.  His- 
tory tells  us  it  transpired  thirty-eight  years  after  the 
death  of  Christ.  Wars  should  continue  to  the  end,  but 
not  a  word  is  said  when  that  end  is  to  come.  The  one 
week,  that  is  the  seventieth  week,  is  mentioned  in  the 
verse  which  follows  this  prediction,  it  comes,  therefore, 
after  this  long  interval  has  terminated. 

This  unreckoned  period  of  time  at  the  close  of  the 
sixty-ninth  week  has  already  lasted  almost  1900  years. 
During  this  time  the  Jewish  people  have  been  scattered 
among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  and  the  predicted 
miseries  written  in  their  own  law  and  in  the  prophets 
have  been  fulfilled  in  every  generation.  Yet  God  has 


190  THE  REVELATION 

preserved  them  not  alone  physically  but  also  at  a  dis- 
tinct race,  even  as  our  Lord  announced  when  He  spoke 
of  the  events  of  the  last  week  of  Daniel  in  His  Olivet 
Discourse  (Matthew  xxiv).  "This  generation  (race) 
shall  not  pass  away  till  all  these  things  be  fulfilled." 

During  this  unreckoned  period  of  time  God  has  made 
known  by  revelation  the  blessed  mystery  of  eternity,  a 
mystery  not  made  known  in  other  ages,  concerning  the 
Church.  There  is  now  being  gathered  out  from  the 
nations  a  people  for  His  Name  and  the  Church  is  still 
building.  The  Gospel  is  being  heralded  world-wide. 
The  heavens,  however,  are  closed  and  this  unreckoned 
period  of  time  leading  up  to  the  end  of  the  times  of  the 
Gentiles  runs  its  appointed  course.  As  we  do  not  write 
on  this  present  and,  in  the  Old  Testament,  unrevealed 
age  and  its  characteristics,  we  must  turn  our  attention 
to  the  events  recorded  in  verse  27. 

Who  Confirms  a  Covenant?  The  first  thing  we  read  is 
"And  he  shall  confirm  a  (not  the)  covenant  with  the 
many  for  one  week."  We  must  remind  ourselves  again 
that  all  we  read  here  concerns,  as  did  the  previous 
sixty-nine  weeks,  Daniel's  people,  the  Jews.  When  the 
last  week  of  seven  years  begins,  preceding  the  time  of 
ultimate  blessing  for  the  Jewish  people,  one  will  make  a 
covenant  with  the  mass  of  Jews.  The  question  arises, 
who  then  is  this  person  and  what  is  the  covenant  he 
makes? 

We  mentioned  before  an  erroneous  view,  which  holds 
that  everything  predicted  in  these  seventy  weeks  has 
been  fulfilled  in  the  past.  The  view  holds  that  Messiah 
the  Prince,  the  one  who  was  cut  off,  is  our  Lord.  How 
ever,  the  teaching  is  that  "the  prince  that  shall  come"  is 


THE  REVELATION  191 

also  Christ  and  that  it  is  Christ  Himself  who  confirms 
the  covenant  in  the  last  week.  We  quote  Dr.  Pusey 
who  delivered  a  series  of  very  learned  lectures  on  Daniel 
at  Oxford,  and  whose  book  on  Daniel  is  considered  an 
authority: 

Not  in,  but  after,  these  Sixty-two  weeks,  it  is  said,  Messiah 
shall  be  cut  off.  Then  follows  the  subdivision  of  the  last  week 
(verse  27)  or  seven  years,  wherein  he  was  to  be  cut  off,  and  yet 
not  in  the  Sixty-nine  weeks.  He  shall  make  then  a  covenant 
with  many  for  one  week  and  in  the  midst  of  the  week  he  shall 
cause  the  sacrifice  and  oblation  to  cease.* 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  believed  to  be  the  one  who 
makes  the  covenant.  The  cessation  of  the  sacrifice  and 
oblation  in  the  midst  of  the  week  is  explained  as  having 
been  accomplished  by  His  death  on  the  cross.  But  such 
a  view  is  altogether  untenable.  According  to  this 
widely  accepted  theory  Christ  made  a  covenant  for 
seven  years.  Where  is  this  stated  elsewhere  in  Scrip- 
ture? Nowhere  is  there  even  a  hint  that  Christ  was  to 
confirm  a  covenant  with  many  for  seven  years,  but  His 
covenant  is  an  everlasting  one.  The  error  springs  from 
the  fact  that  the  future  of  the  Jewish  people  is  not  con- 
sidered and  the  teaching  of  what  is  yet  to  be  in  the  time 
of  the  end  is  completely  passed  by. 

The  one  who  confirms  the  covenant  with  the  many 
for  one  week  is  "the  prince  that  shall  come"  of  verse  26. 
The  prince  that  shall  come,  as  we  have  seen,  rises  from 
the  people  who  destroyed  the  city  and  the  sanctuary, 
the  Roman  people.  The  prince  that  shall  come  is  the 
dreadful  1jttJ*  hT"1  ^n  tne  f°urth  beast  (the  Roman 
empire),  the  great  head  of  the  Roman  empire  seen  as  the 

*Pusey,  Daniel,  page  176. 


192  THE  REVELATION 

Beast  out  of  the  Sea  in  Revelation  xiii.  When  the  last 
seven  years,  so  pregnant  with  Jewish  events,  begins,  the 
first  thing  will  be  that  the  Jews  look  for  protection  to  the 
great  Man,  who  as  a  mighty  prince  controls  the  affairs  of 
the  Roman  empire  brought  together  under  him  as  head. 
The  aim  of  the  Jews  is  to  repossess  Palestine,  to  have  a 
Jewish  state  and  to  gain  possession  of  the  city  of  Jeru- 
salem, so  that  they  may  be  able  to  have  a  temple  and 
their  sacrificial  ceremonies  again.  Zionism  is  the  step 
towards  such  a  restoration  in  unbelief,  the  first  begin- 
nings of  it.  This  coming  prince,  the  beast,  will  take 
the  Jews  and  their  desires  into  consideration,  perhaps 
he  needs  them  too  in  the  beginning  of  his  career.  He 
will  make  a  covenant  with  them  and  under  this  cove- 
nant, most  likely,  they  will  be  permitted  to  possess 
Palestine  and  to  build  a  temple  in  Jerusalem.  He  will 
also  promise  them  protection  against  any  outside  foes, 
especially  the  one  who  threateningly  arises  in  the  North, 
the  Assyrian  of  Prophecy. 

This  covenant  the  Roman  prince  will  make  with  the 
many,  not  with  all  the  Jews.  Throughout  the  pro- 
phetic Word  we  find  the  clearest  evidences  of  a  rem- 
nant of  Jews,  who  trusting  in  the  Lord,  will  see  through 
this  wicked  prince  and  refuse  to  have  anything  what- 
ever to  do  with  that  covenant.  Isaiah  xxviii  15  and  18 
speak  of  this  covenant.  It  is  there  called  a  covenant 
with  death  and  an  agreement  with  hell.  In  the  Revela- 
tion this  faithful  remnant  is  seen  witnessing  and  suf- 
fering and  refusing  to  worship  the  Beast.  All  this  we 
have  learned  in  our  exposition. 

After  the  first  three  and  one-half  years  of  this  last 
prophetic  week  are  gone,  he  will  break  the  covenant  by 


THE  REVELATION  193 

causing  the  sacrifice  and  oblation  to  cease.  From  the 
Book  of  Revelation  we  learn  that  at  that  time  he  will 
become  possessed  by  the  power  of  Satan.  In  fellowship 
with  the  second  beast,  the  false  prophet,  the  personal 
Anti-christ,  who  is  in  Jerusalem,  he  introduces  idolatry 
and  the  most  awful  blasphemies  among  the  Jews.  All 
the  temple  ceremonials,  sacrifices  and  oblations  will 
have  to  be  abanoned.  The  apostate  nations  will  accept 
the  Anti-christ  as  their  Messiah  and  king  and  fall  in  line 
with  his  blasphemies.  Then  the  character  of  the  little 
horn  and  what  was  said  of  him  will  fully  come  out.  "He 
shall  speak  great  words  against  the  most  High,  and  shall 
wear  out  the  Saints  of  the  most  High  (the  Jews  who 
refused  to  enter  his  covenant),  and  think  to  change 
times  and  laws,  and  they  shall  be  given  into  his  hands 
until  a  time  and  times  and  the  dividing  of  time." 
(Three  and  one-half  years — Daniel  vii  :25).  "And  there 
was  given  unto  him  a  mouth  speaking  great  things  and 
blasphemies,  and  power  was  given  unto  him  to  con- 
tinue forty-two  months"  (Rev.  xiii:5).  This  shows  the 
work  he  will  do  for  1,260  days,  forty-two  months,  three 
and  one-half  years,  the  last  half  of  the  seventieth  week 
The  part  of  the  personal  Anti-christ  in  these  1,260  days 
and  three  and  one-half  years  is  described  in  Rev.  xiii: 
11-17.  An  image  of  the  first  beast,  the  wicked  head 
of  the  Roman  power  will  be  set  up  and  the  great  idol 
endued  with  supernatural,  satanic  power  must  be  wor- 
shipped under  the  penalty  of  death.  Anti-christ  him- 
self, this  wicked  counterfeit  of  the  true  Christ,  takes  a 
place  in  the  temple  of  God  and  by  lying  wonders  shews 
himself  that  he  is  God  and  exalting  himself  above  all 
that  is  God  and  that  is  worshipped.  Then  the  great 


194  THE  REVELATION 

tribulation  will  be  in  force  and  the  Jewish  faithful  rem- 
nant will  pass  through  the  deepest  waters  of  suffering. 
We  have  still  something  unexplained  in  the  last  verse 
of  our  chapter.  We  read  "and  because  of  the  protec- 
tion (lit.  wing)  of  abominations  there  shall  be  a  desola- 
tor,  even  until  the  consummation  and  what  is  deter- 
mined shall  be  poured  out  upon  the  desolator."  We 
shall  not  weary  our  readers  with  giving  them  the  differ- 
ent views  and  opinions  on  this  seemingly  difficult  pas- 
sage. The  abominations  mentioned  are  idols  and  idol 
worship.  The  protection,  or  wing,  of  these  idols  is 
sought  by  the  people  and  God  is  completely  forgotten 
and  set  aside  by  the  apostate  masses,  who  bow  before 
the  Antichrist.  The  fulfillment  of  the  words  of  our 
Lord  in  Matthew  has  come: 

When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man,  he  walketh 
through  dry  places,  seeking  rest,  and  findeth  none.  Then  he 
saith,  I  will  return  into  my  house  from  whence  I  came  out;  and 
when  he  is  come,  he  findeth  it  empty,  swept,  and  garnished. 
Then  goeth  he,  and  it  taketh  with  himself  seven  other  spirits  more 
wicked  than  himself,  and  they  enter  in  and  dwell  there;  and 
the  last  state  of  that  man  is  worse  than  the  first.  Even  so  shall  it 
be  also  unto  this  wicked  generation  (Matt,  xii:  43-45). 

The  wicked  spirit,  idolatry,  will  take  hold  of  them  and 
they  will  be  swept  along  into  the  worst  blasphemies  and 
worship  Satan's  masterpiece.  On  account  of  this 
abomination  "there  shall  be  a  desolator,"  one  who  deso- 
lates the  land.  This  desolator  will  continue  to  plague 
the  Jews  from  the  outside,  while  the  Anti-christ  is  with 
them  in  Jerusalem.  The  desolator  will  devastate  the 
land  and  conquer  Jerusalem  till  the  consummation  is 
reached.  The  consummation  is  the  close  of  the  seven 


THE  REVELATION  195 

years.  When  that  is  reached  the  desolator  himself  will 
be  dealt  with  in  judgment  as  well  as  the  two  beasts. 
Who  is  the  desolator?  The  King  of  the  North,  the 
Assyrian  of  the  endtime;  he  is  the  one  of  whom  we 
read  in  the  previous  chapter  and  whose  terrible  work 
against  the  apostate  nation  is  here  once  more  touched 
upon  as  falling  into  the  second  half  of  the  last  prophetic 
week. 

Is  is  interesting  to  compare  the  two  New  Testament 
records  which  give  a  larger  vision  of  the  events  of  the 
seven  years  which  are  in  store  for  Daniel's  people  and 
the  Holy  City,  before  the  full  blessing  for  the  remnant 
of  this  people  and  for  Jerusalem  can  come.  These 
records  are  Matthew  xxiv  and  that  part  of  Revelation 
which  treats  of  these  coming  events,  chapters  vi-xix. 
The  reader  will  find  this  followed  out  in  our  exposition 
of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew.* 

And  how  far  is  the  beginning  of  this  last  week  of 
Daniel  from  our  times?  No  one  can  give  an  answer. 
God  only  knows  how  soon  all  will  come  to  pass.  How- 
ever, there  is  a  sign  present  with  us  which  is  very  sig- 
nificant. It  is  the  restoration  movement  of  the  Jews 
and  their  inability  to  carry  out  the  plans  and  schemes 
for  their  complete  restoration.  They  are  waiting  for 
"the  Prince  that  shall  come."  It  behooves  us  to  wait 
and  watch.  The  days  of  God's  Saints  may  be  very  few 
on  earth.  The  last  and  next  great  event  in  the  un- 
reckoned  period  of  time,  between  the  sixty-ninth  and 
seventieth  week,  is  the  coming  of  the  Lord  for  His  Saints 
and  that  is  imminent. 


"Gospel  of  Matthew  by  A.  C.  G.,  $1.50  postpaid. 


196  THE  REVELATION 


APPENDIX  II. 

Prominent  Names  and  Their  Symbolical  Meaning  in 
Revelation. 

Abaddon.  Chapter  ix:ll.  Destruction.  The  King 
over  the  Locust  army,  denoting  Satan  and  his  agencies. 

Abyss,  The.  ix:l;  xx:l-3.  The  pit  of  the  abyss  or 
the  deep.  This  expression  occurs  seven  times  in  Rev- 
elation. Out  of  the  deep,  the  lowest  pit.  there  come 
the  demons  and  into  the  pit  of  the  abyss  Satan  will  be 
cast  for  1,000  years.  The  Lake  of  Fire  is  a  different 
place. 

Accuser,  The.  Satan  is  the  accuser  of  the  Brethren. 
xii:10.  His  expulsion  out  of  heaven  occurs  in  the 
middle  of  the  week,  followed  by  the  great  tribulation 
on  earth. 

Alpha.  The  first  letter  in  the  Greek  alphabet; 
Omega  is  the  last  letter.  Therefore  Alpha  and  Omega 
is  equivalent  to  an  A  and  Z.  Symbolical  of  the  first 
and  the  last.  i:8;  xxi:6;  xxii:13. 

Amen,  The.  A  jiame  of  our  Lord.  He  is  the 
"verily,"  the  truth,  and  assurance  and  certainty  are 
expressed  by  this  word.  i:14. 

I  -^  Angels.  Angels  are  prominently  mentioned  through- 
out Revelation.  The  exposition  shows  that  the  angel 
mentioned  in  viii:l-5,  x:l  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Angels  will  be  used  in  the  end  of  the  age  to  carry  out 
the  decreed  judgments.  On  the  angels  of  the  differ- 
ent churches,  the  symbolical  meaning,  see  the  exposi- 
tion chapter  i  :20. 


THE  REVELATION  197 

Antichrist,  The.  The  final  and  personal  Anti-christ 
is  mentioned  for  the  first  time  in  Revelation  in  chapter 
xiii:ll-18.  He  is  also  called  the  false  Prophet,  because 
he  heads  up  the  ecclesiastical  corruption  and  apostasy 
of  the  end  of  the  age.  He  must  not  be  confounded 
with  the  first  Beast  out  of  the  Sea,  who  is  a  political 
head,  the  emperor  of  the  revived  Roman  empire,  the 
little  horn  of  Daniel  vii,  and  the  Prince  that  shall  come 
of  Dan.  ix:26. 

Anti-pas.  An  unknown  faithful  martyr  in  Pergamos, 
known  to  Christ.  ii:13. 

Apollyon.  ixrll.  The  Greek  name  of  Abaddon,  the 
King  over  the  Locust  army.  The  name  means  De- 
struction or  Destroyer. 

Ark,  The.  Chapter  xi:19.  It  is  seen  by  John  in  the 
temple.  It  means  symbolically  the  assured  presence 
of  Jehovah  with  His  people  Israel,  the  faithful  rem- 
nant, in  the  trying  times  of  Jacob's  trouble. 

Armageddon.  Mentioned  for  the  first  time  in  the 
parenthesis  between  the  sixth  and  seventh  vial.  Chap. 
xvi:12-16.  It  means  "The  hill  of  slaughter."  The 
battle  of  Armageddon  will  be  of  brief  duration.  It  is 
the  stone  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  smiting  suddenly 
the  ten  toes,  the  ten  kingdoms  (Dan.  ii).  The  battle 
of  Armageddon  is  briefly  described  in  chapter  xix:  19-20. 

Alleluia.  "Praise  ye  the  Lord."  The  four  Halle- 
lujahs are  found  in  chapter  xix:l-5. 

Babylon.  On  the  literal  and  mystical  Babylon  see 
exposition  of  chapter  xvii.  The  literal  Babylon  will 
undoubtedly  be  restored  as  a  city  of  influence.  How- 
ever, the  city  mentioned  in  chapter  xvii  is  not  the  lit- 
eral Babylon,  but  Rome.  Not  only  will  the  Roman 


198  THE  REVELATION 

empire  be  revived,  but  also  papal  Rome.  Babylon  the 
great,  the  mother  of  Harlots,  will  see  a  great  revival. 
The  system  in  its  corruption  is  described  in  chapter 
xviii. 

Balaam.  The  heathen  Prophet  who  could  not  curse 
Israel,  but  put  a  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  the 
children  of  Israel.  Used  in  Revelation  to  describe 
the  corruption  in  the  professing  church  in  giving  up 
the  divinely  demanded  separation  from  the  world. 
Chapter  ii:14. 

Beast,  The.  The  expression  "four  Beasts"  in  Rev. 
iv  and  v,  etc.,  is  faulty.  The  correct  rendering  is  "the 
four  living  Creatures"  or  the  "four  living  ones."  The 
term  "Beast"  applies  to  the  revived  Roman  empire 
and  its  JLeftdj  the  little  horn  of  Daniel,  also  called  Beast 
in  Daniel's  vision.  The  Anti-christ  is  likewise  called 
a  Beast.  The  work  of  the  two  Beasts  is  seen  in  chap- 
ter xliK 

Birds,  unclean  and  hateful.  Symbolical  of  evil  per- 
sons, outwardly  professing  to  be  something  but  full  of 
corruption.  They  describe  the  apostate  masses  of 
Christendom.  Rev.  xviii :2.  Also  Matt.  xiii:31-32. 

Black  Horse.  The  black  horse  comes  into  view  with 
the  opening  of  the  third  seal.  Black  is  the  color  of 
night,  darkness  and  death. 

Blood,  with  Hail  and  Fire.  Chapter  viii:7.  Not 
literal  things,  but  symbols  of  divine  judgments  for  this 
earth. 

Bow,  The.  Chapter  vi:l.  The  bow  without  an 
arrow  as  in  possession  by  the  rider  upon  the  white  horse 
is  the  symbol  of  a  bloodless  conquest. 


THE  REVELATION  199 

Bride,  The.  xxi:2.  The  Bride  of  Christ,  the  Lamb's 
wife,  xix:7,  is  not  Israel,  but  the  church. 

Brimstone  and  Fire.  The  symbols  of  divine  wrath. 
Isa.  xxx:33. 

Candlestick,  Golden.  Symbolical  of  that  which 
gives  light.  Representing  the  seven  assemblies.  The 
church  is  on  earth  to  give  light. 

Crowns.  The  symbols  of  given  glory  and  also  re- 
wards for  service.  The  crowns  seen  upon  the  seven 
heads  of  the  dragon  (xii:3)  and  upon  the  four  horns  of 
the  Beast  (xiiirl)  denote  despotic  authority. 

David,  Key  of.  Symbolical  of  the  right  to  open  and 
to  enter  in.  See  Isa.  xxii:22.  It  is  a  prediction  con- 
cerning Christ. 

David,  Root  and  offspring.  xxii:16.  Christ  is  the 
Root  and  offspring  of  David. 

Demons.  Fallen  spiritual  beings;  the  wicked  spirits 
over  which  Satan  is  the  head.  They  will  be  worshipped 
by  the  apostates  during  the  end  of  the  age.  Demon- 
worship  is  even  now  going  on  to  some  extent,  for  the 
anti-christian  cults  are  produced  by  demons.  (1  Tim. 
iv:i).  See  Rev.  ix:20:21.  The  word  devils  must  be 
changed  to  demons.  There  is  but  one  Devil,  but 
legions  of  demons. 

Dwellers  on  the  Earth.  This  class  mentioned  re- 
peatedly in  Revelation  are  the  large  number  of  pro- 
fessing Christians,  who  did  not  receive  the  love  of  the 
truth  and  rejecting  the  Gospel  follow  the  strong  de- 
lusion and  are  utterly  blinded,  as  well  as  hardened, 
during  the  tribulation. 

Eagle.  viii:13.  The  word  angel  must  be  changed 
to  "eagle."  Symbolical  of  the  coming  judgment,  as 


200  THE  REVELATION 

an  eagle  is  a  bird  of  prey.  Eagle's  wings  (xii:13-17) 
are  symbolical  of  swift  motion,  escape  and  deliver- 
ance. 

Earth.  The  prophetic  territory  of  the  Roman  em- 
pire is  mostly  described  by  this  form,  though  the  entire 
earth  is  also  indicated. 

Earthquake.  Symbolical  of  the  shaking  of  all 
political  and  ecclesiastical  institutions.  But,  as  we 
show  in  our  exposition,  literal  earthquakes  will  take 
place. 

Elders^  Twenty-four.  The  twenty-four  elders  typify 
all  the  redeemed  in  Glory.  Old  and  New  Testament 
Saints  are  included.  After  chapter  xix  this  term  does 
not  appear  again,  because  the  church,  the  bride  of 
Christ,  is  then  seen  separated  from  the  entire  company 
of  the  redeemed,  and  takes  her  exalted  position  as  the 
Lamb's  wife. 

Eternal  State,  The.  The  eternal  state  is  described 
in  chapter  xxi:l-8. 

Euphrates.  This  great  river  is  mentioned  twice  in 
Revelation,  ix:14  and  xvi:12.  It  is  the  boundary  line 
of  the  Roman  empire  and  the  land  of  Israel.  See  ex- 
position of  these  passages. 

Everlasting  Gospel.  xiv:6.  The  declaration  of  the 
Gospel  of  the  Kingdom  during  the  tribulation. 

Fire.  Often  mentioned  in  this  book  and  symbolical 
of  the  judgments  which  will  be  executed  upon  the  earth 
as  well  as  the  everlasting  wrath  upon  the  unsaved. 

Fornication.  Spiritual  wickedness  in  departing  from 
the  Truth  of  God,  followed  by  the  literal  lusts  of  the 
flesh.  The  days  of  Lot  will  be  on  the  earth  before  the 
Son  of  Man  cometh. 


THE  REVELATION  201 

Four,  This  number  appears  a  number  of  times  in 
Revelation.  Four  living  creatures;  four  corners  of 
the  earth;  four  horns  of  the  golden  altar;  four  angels; 
four  winds.  Four  is  the  number  of  universality. 

Frogs.  Mentioned  between  the  sixth  and  seventh 
vial.  Symbolical  of  demon  influences,  denoting  filthy 
and  wicked  things.  Frogs  come  out  of  slimy  and  dark 
waters. 

Glass,  Sea  of.  Chapter  iv:6.  Compare  with  Exod. 
xxx :  18-21  and  1  Kings  vii:23,  etc.  Symbolical  of 
lasting  holiness.  No  more  water  needed  for  cleansing 
from  sin,  for  the  Saints  in  Glory  are  delivered  from  the 
presence  of  sin  itself. 

God,  Supper  of.  Chapter  xix:17.  Symbolical  of 
God's  judgment  upon  the  wicked  nations  and  the  earth 
dwellers. 

Gold.     Symbolical  of  divine  righteousness. 

Grass.  viii:7.  Symbolical  of  human  prosperity. 
Isa.  xl:7  and  1  Peter  i:24. 

Hades.  The  region  of  disembodied  spirits;  liter- 
ally "the  unknown."  Christ  has  the  Keys,  and  Hades 
with  Death,  because  they  came  into  existence  through 
sin,  will  be  cast  into  the  Lake  of  fire. 

Harvest  of  the  Earth.  The  harvest  is  the  end  of  the 
age.  In  chapter  xiv:14-15  we  read  of  the  Lord's 
judgment  dealing  with  the  earth. 

Hidden  Manna.  ii:17.  Symbolical  of  the  reward 
those  who  overcome  will  receive  from  the  Lord. 

Horns.  Horn  is  symbolical  of  power.  Horns  mean 
typically  kings,  powers  and  kingdoms.  Dan.  vii:24. 

Image  of  the  Beast.  xiii:12-15.  Compare  with 
Dan.  iii.  It  will  be  a  literal  image  of  the  princely  leader 


202  THE  REVELATION 

of  the  revised  Roman  empire,  the  first  Beast,  which 
John  saw  rising  out  of  the  sea. 

Islands.  Mentioned  under  the  sixth  seal  and  the 
seventh  vial.  Mountains  typify  kingdoms  and  govern- 
ments; islands  are  symbolical  of  smaller  and  isolated 
governments.  All  will  be  affected.  No  doubt  when 
the  great  earthquakes  will  shake  the  very  foundations 
of  the  earth,  many  islands  will  also  disappear. 

Jasper.  A  precious  stone,  most  likely  our  diamond. 
See  exposition  of  chapter  iv. 

Jerusalem.  The  earthly  and  the  heavenly  Jerusa- 
lem are  mentioned  in  the  book.  During  the  tribula- 
tion the  earthly  Jerusalem  will  be  the  seat  of  the  Anti- 
christ, the  false  Prophet.  Jerusalem  is  for  this  reason 
called  "Sodom  and  Egypt"  (xi:8).  Then  Jerusalem 
will  pass  through  her  worst  history.  A  great  siege  will 
take  place  at  the  close  of  the  tribulation  period  and  the 
city  will  fall  (Zech.  xiv).  After  that  Jerusalem  will 
become  the  capital  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  a 
great  temple  will  be  erected,  the  universal  place  of 
worship  during  the  millennium.  The  heavenly  Jeru- 
salem is  above  the  earth.  From  there  the  glorious 
reign  of  Christ  and  the  Saints  will  be  executed.  This 
glorious  city  will  come  down  out  of  heaven  at  the  end 
of  the  millennium  to  find  its  eternal  resting  place  on 
the  new  earth.  (Chapters  xxi-xxii.) 

Jezebel.  Symbolical  of  the  Papacy.  The  corruptress 
which  claims  to  be  the  Bride  of  Christ,  but  plays  the 
harlot.  See  chapters  ii  and  xvii. 

Judgment.  Judgment  falls  upon  the  earth  during 
the  seven  years,  which  constitute  the  end  of  the  age. 
When  the  Lord  comes  in  His  glory  the  great  judgment 


THE  REVELATION  203 

of  the  nations  takes  place.  Chapter  xixrll,  etc.,  com- 
pare with  Matt,  xxv  :31.  After  the  millennium  the 
second  resurrection  takes  place  and  the  great  white 
throne  judgment  is  the  judgment  of  the  wicked  dead. 

King  of  the  Nations.  xv:2-4.  King  of  the  Saints 
should  be  changed  (see  margin)  to  King  of  the  nations. 
Our  Lord  is  the  King  of  the  nations,  the  King  of  kings. 

Lake  of  Fire.  The  place  which  God  has  prepared 
for  the  Devil  and  his  angels.  The  Beast  and  the  false 
prophet  will  be  cast  there;  also  the  Assyrian,  the  King 
of  the  North,  the  nations  who  followed  the  Beast  and 
all  the  wicked  dead.  Death  and  Hades  will  likewise 
be  put  into  that  place. 

The  Lamb.  The  Lamb,  our  Lord  in  His  sacrificial 
character,  is  mentioned  twenty-eight  times  in  Revela- 
tion. The  Lamb  is  worshipped  by  all.  Thus  we  find 
the  Song  of  the  Lamb,  the  Throne  of  the  Lamb  and 
the  Marriage  of  the  Lamb,  and  the  Wife  of  the  Lamb 
(the  church)  in  this  book. 

Lightning.  Symbolical  of  the  divine  judgment 
Wrath. 

Locust  Army.  Symbolical  of  the  host  of  demons, 
which  come  out  of  the  abyss  to  torment  mankind. 

Lord's  Day,  The.  Mentioned  but  once  in  i:10.  It 
is  the  first  day  of  the  week  on  which  John  saw  the  great 
Patmos  vision. 

Man-child.  Chapter  xii.  The  Man-child  is  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Mark  of  the  Beast.  Some  special  mark  which  de- 
clares ownership.  As  the  Holy  Spirit  seals  those  who 
trust  on  Christ,  so  Anti-christ  will  put  his  mark  upon 
those  who  follow  him. 


204  THE  REVELATION 

Millennium,  The.  Millennium  means  "a  thousand 
years."  Six  times  this  period  of  blessing  and  glory  is 
mentioned  in  Rev.  xx. 

Moon  as  blood.  The  Moon  is  symbolical  of  derived 
authority.  Blood  is  the  symbol  of  death.  Apostate 
Israel  and  the  apostate  church  passing  through  the 
most  severe  judgments  are  symbolized  by  this  figure. 

Morning  Star,  The.  Christ  in  His  Coming  for  the 
church.  Chapter  xxii:  16. 

Mountain.     A  kingdom. 

Mountains,  Seven.  Rome  is  the  city  built  upon  the 
seven  hills.  See  exposition  of  chapter  xvii. 

Nicolaitanes.  Mentioned  in  the  messages  to  Ephesus 
and  Pergamos.  They  signify  the  domineering,  priestly 
cast  which  assumed  an  unscriptural  place  of  authority 
in  the  church. 

Palms.     Emblems  of  victory.  . 

Rainbow.  The  symbol  of  covenant  and  of  mercy. 
Mentioned  twice.  Around  the  Throne  (chapter  iv) 
and  around  His  head  (chapter  x). 

Rest  of  the  Dead.  xx:5.  Meaning  those  who  had 
not  part  in  the  First  Resurrection,  hence  the  wicked 
dead. 

River  of  Life.  xxii:l.  Symbolical  of  the  fullness 
of  life,  glory  and  blessing. 

Saints.  The  Saints  in  Revelation  include  all  the 
Saints.  The  Old  and  New  Testament  Saints  are  seen 
under  the  figure  of  the  twenty-four  elders.  The  suf- 
fering Saints  are  the  Jewish  Saints  and  the  remnant 
of  Israel,  as  well  as  the  multitude  of  nations,  who  accept 
the  final  message  and  come  out  of  the  great  tribulation. 
(Chapter  vii). 


THE  REVELATION  205 

Satan.  The  entire  book  reveals  his  person,  his  work 
and  his  destiny.  His  work  may  be  traced  in  the  church- 
messages.  Then  we  have  his  work  during  the  tribula- 
tion and  his  final  work  after  the  millennium. 

Scorpions.  Symbolical  of  the  torment  caused  by 
the  army  of  demons  under  the  fifth  trumpet  judgment. 

Sea.  Symbol  of  the  nations.  Also  the  literal  sea, 
which  gives  up  the  dead.  Then  there  will  be  no  more 
sea.  All  wickedness  and  restlessness  will  cease  forever. 

Seven.  The  divine  number.  No  other  Book  in  the 
Bible  contains  so  many  "sevens"  as  this  final  Bible- 
book,  the  Revelation.  There  are  seven  angels, 
churches,  attributes  of  the  Lord,  heads,  horns,  eyes, 
spirits,  lamps,  seals,  trumpets,  vials,  plagues,  stars, 
thunders,  times  and  a  sevenfold  doxology. 

Song.  The  songs  of  the  Redeemed  and  the  Song  of 
Moses  and  the  Lamb  are  mentioned  in  the  Book. 

Stars.  See  exposition  on  the  meaning  of  the  seven 
stars  in  His  hand.  Stars  are  also  symbolical  of  lesser 
authorities,  which  will  all  fall  during  the  tribulation 
period. 

Sun.     The  symbol  of  supreme  authority. 

Synagogue  of  Satan.  Mentioned  in  the  messages  to 
Smyrna  and  Philadelphia.  It  means  a  Judaized  Chris- 
tianity as  seen  in  Ritualistic,  professing  Christendom. 

Temple.  The  tribulation  temple  is  in  view  in  chap- 
ter xi:l-3.  The  millennial  temple  is  seen  in  vii:15. 
Then  there  is  the  temple  in  heaven.  Chapter  xvi:17. 
In  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  there  is  no  temple.  xxi:22. 

Third  Part.  Mentioned  in  connection  with  men, 
the  sea,  the  stars  of  heaven,  the  Sun  and  the  Moon. 
It  probably  refers  exclusively  to  the  Roman  empire, 


206  THE  REVELATION 

which  in  its  different  aspects  and  authorities,  will  be 
affected  during  these  judgments. 

Two  horns.  The  Beast  out  of  the  land  has  two  horns 
like  a  lamb,  but  speaks  like  the  dragon.  He  is  the 
counterfeit  Christ. 

Waters,  Many.  Symbolical  of  peoples  and  nations 
over  which  the  Romish  whore  has  authority. 

White.  Color  of  righteousness  and  purity;  also 
denoting  victorious  conquests.  We  have  in  Revela- 
tion, white  Robes,  the  white  horses,  white  linen,  a 
white  cloud  and  a  white  Throne. 

Witnesses.     See  in  Rev.  xi  about  the  two  witnesses. 

Wrath.  We  read  of  the  Wrath  of  God  and  the  wrath 
of  the  Lamb.  The  wrath  of  God  is  completed  with 
the  pouring  out  of  the  vials.  The  wrath  of  the  Lamb 
will  be  executed  when  He  comes  in  Glory. 

Zion.  Mentioned  only  once  in  Rev.,  chapter  xiv:l. 
It  means  the  literal  Zion  in  Palestine.  Upon  that  holy 
hill  of  Zion  the  glory  will  rest  during  the  millennium. 
See  Psalm  cxxxii:13-14. 


THE  REVELATION  207 

APPENDIX  HI. 

LIST  OF  RELIABLE  WORKS  ON  THE  REVELATION  AND 
PROPHECY. 

The  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  T.  B.  Baines.  Published 

by  H.  S.  Rouse,  London.  325  pages.  Price  Postpaid..  .   $1.00 

Unfolding  of  the  Ages,   by  Ford  C.  Ottman.   Published  by 

"Our  Hope."  Has  over  500  pages Price  Postpaid  $2 . 00 

Exposition   of   Revelation,    by    W.    Scott,    London.     A. 

Holmes.     444  pages Price  Postpaid  $1.50 

Revelation  of  Christ  to  His  Servants,  by  F.  W.  Grant. 
485  pages.  An  excellent  volume  for  deeper 
study Price  $1.00 

Lectures  on  the  Book  of  Revelation,  by  W.  Lincoln.     450 

pages.    Published  by  F.  H.  Revell  Co.,  N.  Y..  .Price  $1.00 

The  Prophetic  History  of  the  Church,  by  F.  W.  Grant. 
The  best  treatise  on  the  Seven  Churches.  Paper 
cover.  183  pages Price  25cts. 

The  Book  of  Daniel.  A  key  to  the  great  Prophecies  of  that 
book.  4th  edition,  14th  thousand.  By  A.  C. 
Gaebelein.  230  pages Price  Postpaid  SOcts. 

Lectures  on  Daniel  with  practical  application,  by  H.  A. 

Ironside Price  Postpaid  $1 . 00 

Notes  on  Daniel,  by  Wm.  Kelly.     Very  helpful. 

Price  Postpaid  75cts. 

The  Minor  Prophets.    Expository  and  practical,  by  H.  A. 

Ironside Price  Postpaid  $1 . 25 

The  Harmony  of  the  Prophetic  Word,  by  A.  C.  Gaebelein. 
The  best  book  to  give  a  good  understanding  on  the 
entire  Old  Testament  Prophecy Price  Postpaid  $1.00 

The  Prophet  Joel.  An  interesting  exposition  with  a  metri- 
cal version,  by  A.  C.  Gaebelein Price  Postpaid  75cts. 

The  Prophet  Zechariah.  Nearly  15,000  in  circulation,  by  A. 

C.  Gaebelein Price  Postpaid  SOcts 


208  THE  REVELATION 

The  Prophet  Isaiah.  An  analysis  with  annotations  and 
three  lectures  on  this  book,  by  A.  C.  Gaebelein 

Price  Postpaid 

Plain  Papers  on  Prophetic  Subjects,  by  W.  Trotter.  Most 
excellent.  600  pages Price  Postpaid  j? 

Papers  on  the  Lord's  Coming,  by  C.  H.  M. .Price  Postpaid  1 

The  Lessons  of  the  Ages,  by  F.  W.  Grant.     125  pages. 

Price  Postpaid  35cts. 

The  Gospel  of  Matthew.  An  exposition  of  over  600  pages 
containing  many  helpful  hints  on  the  Gospel  of  the 
Kingdom  and  things  to  come,  by  A.  C.  Gaebelein. 
Two  volumes  in  one Price  Postpaid  $1 . 50 

Addresses  on  Prophecy,  by  C.  I.  Scofield.  A  standard 
work  which  has  helped  thousands. 

Price,  paper,  25cts — cloth  SOcts. 

Things  to  Come.     Four  lectures,   by   A.   C.   Gaebelein. 

Price  Postpaid   15cts. 

The  Lord's  Return,  by  Jesse  F.  Silver.  A  valuable  work 
tracing  the  doctrine  of  the  pre-millennial  coming 
throughout  the  history  of  the  church.  Over  300 
pages Price  $1.25 

Outline  of  Revelation,  by  Judson  Palmer,  Secretary 
Emeritis  of  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  Galveston,  Texas.  This 
is  the  best  brief  outline  study  we  know.  Being  in- 
expensive it  should  have  a  wide  circulation. 

Price  Postpaid  lOcts. 


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